Thoracic+Cage


 * __The Thoracic Cage:__**

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 * The thorax is the chest, and its bony underpinnings are called the thoracic cage or bony thorax. Elements of the thoracic cage include the thoracic vertebrae dorsally, the ribs laterally, and the sternum and costal cartilage interiorly. The costal cartilages secure the ribs to the sternum. The bony thorax forms a protective cage around the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, supports the shoulder girdles and upper limbs, and provides attachment points for many muscles of the neck, back, chest and shoulders. The intercostal spaces between the ribs are occupied by the intercostal muscles which lift and depress the thorax during breathing.**
 * below is a picture of the thoracic cage.


 * Sternum:**


 * A long flat bone in most vertebrates that is situated along the ventral midline of the thorax and articulates with the ribs. The manubrium of the sternum articulates with the clavicles in humans and certain other vertebrates. The sternum is an Anatomic name for the [|breast] bone, the long flat bone in the upper middle of the front of the chest. The sternum articulates with the cartilages of the first seven ribs and with the clavicle (collar bone) on either side.The sternum consists of three parts: the manubrium, the corpus or body of the sternum, and the xiphoid process. These sections of the sternum arise as separate bones and later they may fuse partially or completely with one another.**


 * Ribs:**
 * The ribs are thin, flat, curved bones that form a protective cage around the organs in the upper body. They are comprised 24 bones arranged in 12 pairs.**
 * These bones are divided into three categories: True ribs, false ribs, and floating ribs.**
 * The first seven bones are called the [|true ribs.] These bones are connected to the spine in back. In the front, the true ribs are connected directly to the breastbone or sternum by strips of cartilage called the costal cartilage.The next three pairs of bones are called [|false ribs]. These bones are a little shorter than the true ribs and are connected to the spine in back. However, the false ribs are attached to the lowest true rib.The last two sets of rib bones are called [|floating ribs]. Floating ribs are smaller than both the true ribs and the false ribs. They are attached to the spine at the back, but are not connected to anything in the front. Which is why they have been given the name "floating".**
 * The ribs form a kind of cage the encloses the upper body. They give the chest its familiar shape.The ribs serve several important purposes. They protect the heart and lungs from injuries and shocks that might damage them. Ribs also protect parts of the stomach, spleen, and kidneys. The ribs help you to breathe. As you inhale, the muscles in between the ribs lift the rib cage up, allowing the lungs to expand. When you exhale, the rib cage moves down again, squeezing the air out of your lungs.

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 * above is a picture of the ribs.**