Medullary cavity

Last updated
Medullary Cavity
Structure of a Long Bone.png
A long bone, with medullary cavity labeled near center.
Details
Identifiers
Latin cavitas medullaris
TA98 A02.0.00.037
TA2 386
FMA 83698
Anatomical terminology

The medullary cavity (medulla, innermost part) is the central cavity of bone shafts where red bone marrow and/or yellow bone marrow (adipose tissue) is stored; hence, the medullary cavity is also known as the marrow cavity.

Located in the main shaft of a long bone (diaphysis) (consisting mostly of spongy bone), the medullary cavity has walls composed of compact bone (cancellous bone) and is lined with a thin, vascular membrane (endosteum). [1] [2]

This area is involved in the formation of red blood cells and white blood cells, and the calcium supply for bird eggshells. The area has been detected in fossil bones despite the fossilization process. [3]

Intramedullary is a medical term meaning the inside of a bone. Examples include intramedullary rods used to treat bone fractures in orthopedic surgery and intramedullary tumors occurring in some forms of cancer or benign tumors such as an enchondroma.

References

  1. Martini, F.; Nath, J. L. (2009). Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (8th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education. ISBN   978-0-321-50589-7.
  2. Tortora, Gerard J. (2022). Principles of anatomy and physiology. Wiley. ISBN   978-0-7303-9200-2. OCLC   1299321666.
  3. Peterson, J. E.; Lenczewski, M. E.; Reed, P. S. (October 2010). Stepanova, Anna (ed.). "Influence of Microbial Biofilms on the Preservation of Primary Soft Tissue in Fossil and Extant Archosaurs". PLOS ONE. 5 (10): 13A. Bibcode:2010PLoSO...513334P. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013334 . PMC   2953520 . PMID   20967227.