The cranium (skull) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain. It is subdivided into the facial bones and the brain case, or cranial vault (Figure 1). The facial bones underlie the facial structures, form the nasal cavity, enclose the eyeballs, and support the teeth of the upper and lower jaws. The rounded brain case surrounds and protects the brain ...
Skull in situ Human head skull from side Anatomy of a flat bone – the periosteum of the neurocranium is known as the pericranium Human skull from the front Side bones of skull The human skull is the bone structure that forms the head in the human skeleton. It supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain. Like the skulls of other vertebrates, it protects the brain from ...
Skull, skeletal framework of the head of vertebrates, composed of bones or cartilage, which form a unit that protects the brain and some sense organs. The skull includes the upper jaw and the cranium. Learn more about the anatomy and function of the skull in humans and other vertebrates.
The human skull consists of 22 bones. This is your guide to understanding the structure, features, foramina and contents of the human skull.
Explore the anatomy of the 22 bones that make up the human skull with Innerbody's interactive 3D model.
The skull incorporates the upper part of the digestive tract including the oral cavity, as well as the nasal cavity, which is the initial part of the respiratory tract. The skull also supports soft tissue of the head and facial anatomical structures. Most of the bones that form the skull are immobile and are attached to each other by sutures to form the cranium. An exception is the mandible ...