Anatomy study note · Upper limb

Scapula

A flat, triangular bone on the posterior thoracic wall, lying over ribs 2 to 7. It carries the glenoid cavity for the shoulder joint and gives attachment to the muscles that move the shoulder girdle and the arm.

Key points

• Lies over ribs 2–7; inferior angle = T7.
• Suprascapular artery OVER, nerve UNDER the transverse scapular ligament.
• Supraglenoid tubercle → long head of biceps; infraglenoid → long head of triceps.
• Winged scapula = long thoracic nerve / serratus anterior.
• Dropped shoulder = accessory nerve / trapezius.
• Limb bones: limb-bud mesenchyme, endochondral (except clavicle).
• Bone: type I collagen + hydroxyapatite.
• Osteoblast builds, osteocyte maintains, osteoclast resorbs.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Relations · Features · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 3, PDF pp. 220–225
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 7, PDF p. 98; ch. 10, PDF pp. 141, 145
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 7, PDF pp. 121–125, 130

More from the upper limb

• Serratus anterior
• Shoulder joint
• Sternoclavicular joint
• Subclavius
• Subscapular nerves
• Subscapularis
• Supinator
• Suprascapular nerve
• Supraspinatus
• Supratrochlear (cubital) lymph node
• Teres major
• Teres minor

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