Bones & Tissues

The skeletal system is the body's structural framework. Made of strong, living tissue, bones support your body, protect vital organs, and work with muscles to enable movement.

Did you know? Bone and tissue grafts do not require a perfect blood type match, making it easier to find donors and saving thousands of lives yearly.

Main Functions

Structure & Support: Provides the rigid framework that holds the body upright and supports the weight of the muscles and organs.
Protection: Acts as a hard shield for soft, vulnerable organs (e.g., the skull protects the brain; the ribcage protects the heart and lungs).
Movement & Leverage: Acts as levers for muscles, allowing a wide range of motion from walking to gripping.

Types of Bones

Long Bones

Femur, Tibia, Humerus. Support weight and facilitate movement.

Short Bones

Carpals, Tarsals. Provide stability and shock absorption.

Flat Bones

Ribs, Skull, Sternum. Protect internal organs and provide large muscle attachment areas.

Irregular Bones

Vertebrae, Pelvis. Complex shapes that protect nerves and support the spinal cord.

Transplant Process

Donor Screening & Recovery

Bone is typically retrieved from deceased donors (or hip replacements from living donors). It undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it is completely safe and disease-free.

Processing & Sterilization

Unlike solid organs, bone tissue doesn't need immediate transplantation. It is cleaned, frozen, or freeze-dried. This process destroys living cells but leaves the structural matrix intact.

Surgical Implantation

Surgeons use the processed bone graft to repair fractures, replace damaged joints, or fuse spinal vertebrae. The graft acts as a scaffold for new bone to grow over.

Integration & Healing

Over several months, the patient's own cells invade the graft. The body gradually replaces the donor bone with new, living bone, fully integrating it into the skeleton.

OrganDonorLink

ODL