Osteons are the structural units of which bone type?

Osteons are the structural units of which bone type?

• A. Spongy Bone
• B. Cartilage
• C. Compact Bone
• D. Fibrous Tissue

Answer: (C)

Osteons, also called Haversian systems, are the structural units of compact bone. Each osteon is a cylindrical module with a central Haversian canal that houses blood vessels and nerves, surrounded by concentric lamellae of mineralized matrix. Osteocytes sit in small spaces called lacunae within those lamellae and communicate through tiny gaps in the matrix via canaliculi. This organized, repetitive arrangement runs parallel to the bone’s long axis and together they give compact bone its strength and ability to resist bending and torsion. Spongy bone, in contrast, is made of a lattice of trabeculae and does not have osteons; it’s lighter and optimized for metabolic exchange and shock absorption. Cartilage and fibrous tissue are not bone tissue, so they don’t form the structural osteon units.

Osteons, also called Haversian systems, are the structural units of compact bone. Each osteon is a cylindrical module with a central Haversian canal that houses blood vessels and nerves, surrounded by concentric lamellae of mineralized matrix. Osteocytes sit in small spaces called lacunae within those lamellae and communicate through tiny gaps in the matrix via canaliculi. This organized, repetitive arrangement runs parallel to the bone’s long axis and together they give compact bone its strength and ability to resist bending and torsion.

Spongy bone, in contrast, is made of a lattice of trabeculae and does not have osteons; it’s lighter and optimized for metabolic exchange and shock absorption. Cartilage and fibrous tissue are not bone tissue, so they don’t form the structural osteon units.