4 parts of human RIBS

The parts of human ribs are the head, neck, tubercle and body of the rib. At unProfesor we tell you in detail and with images.

The bones They are living tissues that form the skeleton of the human body. These bones are responsible for providing shape and support to the body, in addition to protecting some organs. Additionally, bones serve as a storage site for minerals and provide a medium for the development of stem cells. However, in the body there are more than 200 bones and each one of them is different.

In this lesson from a TEACHER, we want to put all our attention on a very important set of bones: human ribs and we are going to explain to you the parts that each of these bones is made of.

The ribs are some flat bones and curved which form the majority of the rib cage of our body. These are very light bones, but at the same time, extremely resistant. The main reason for its structure is that its main task focuses on the protection of internal thoracic organs, which are the most delicate: especially the lungs and heart.

In total, there are 12 pairs of ribs, which join with the spinal column in the back area. Only seven of them have direct contact with the sternum, which is located in the chest area.

Here we discover the different parts of the spine.

The ribs of the 3rd to 9th are considered typical ribs. That is, they share the same structure and have the same parts. We present to you the parts of the human ribs.

Head

The rib head It is wedge-shaped and has two facets separated from each other by a bony crest. This ridge is known as the "rib head crest". The two facets are different sizes and the larger one attaches to the upper costal fossa of the body of the upper vertebra. The smaller crest articulates with the lower costal fossa of the body of the upper vertebra.

The neck

The rib neck is simply a bony piece that connects the head of the rib to its body.

The tuber

The tuber It is a bony accident that protrudes from the surface of the rib and is located between the junction of the neck and the body of the rib. We can distinguish the smooth articular region, which serves to articulate with the transverse process of the vertebra with which it is associated; and a rougher part without articulation capacity, which is inserted into the costotransverse ligament.

The body of the rib

The body It is the best known part of the ribs and its typical shape is thin, flat and curved. The curve becomes sharper in the part closest to the angle, which is where the rib changes direction anterolaterally. The angle itself is what marks the insertion point of some deep muscles of the ribs.

The body surface of the human rib is concave and forms a groove which is what offers protection to the organs and guards the neurovascular package. This part of the ribs ends with a concavity into which the costal cartilage is inserted, so that the rib has the possibility of articulating with the sternum.

If we take this information and use it to classify the ribs, we can determine that there are 3 big types of ribs:

• The real ribs (vertebrosternal): They are the first 7 ribs and connect directly to the sternum with its own costal cartilage.
• The false ribs (vertebrochondral): From the 8th to the 10th rib and are connected to the sternum directly through the cartilage of the rib immediately above.
• floating ribs (vertebral or free): They are the last 2 ribs and their cartilages end inside the abdominal muscles.

Here we discover all the chest bones.

However, as we have mentioned before, not all ribs are the same and we cannot forget those that have a special and unique shape. The 1st, 2nd and 10th to 12th are known as atypical ribs and must be considered individually. Within the different parts of the human ribs, we also have these.

1st rib

The 1st ribIt is much wider than the others, shorter and has a more pronounced curve. The head of this first rib only articulates with the body of the T1 vertebra, so it only has one articular facet. The upper surface of its body has two very characteristic slits that are responsible for giving way to the subclavian vessels.

2nd rib

The 2nd rib, on the other hand, is thinner and longer than the first, but without reaching the standard size of typical ribs. The head of this bone has two facets to articulate with the T1 and T2 vertebrae. The main characteristic of this rib is its rough bulge on the upper face, which has the function of origin of the serratus anterior muscle.

10th, 11th and 12th ribs

Finally, the 10th, 11th and 12th ribs They are special because they have only one face on their heads, because They articulate only with one vertebra. Specifically, the 11th and 12th ribs are shorter and do not have a neck or tubercles either.

Now you know all the parts of human ribs and you know what these important bones of our skeleton are for. If you want to continue delving deeper into human anatomy, do not hesitate to consult our biology section, where we will accompany you on this journey through the wonders of nature.