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Diarthroses or Synovial Joints
Diarthroses differ from synarthroses
in one major way: instead of connect-
ing neighboring bones by a solid mass
of connectve tissue, the bony connection consists of a double-layered connective tissue capsule that surrounds a lubricated
cavity between the bones. Within the capsule the ends of neighboring bony surfaces are covered by a smooth layer of hya-
line cartilage. As a result of this design there is typically a much greater range of motion present in synovial joints, and they
form the joints of the skeleton that are responsible for the major movements of the body. The outer layer of the capsule, the
fi brous membrane, is continuous with the periosteum on the adjoining bones, while the inner layer of the capsule, the syno-
vial membrane, attaches from the border of the articular cartilage on one bone to the border of the articular cartilage on the
other bone. Additionally, the synovial membrane secretes synovial fl uid, a lubricant that reduces friction between the mobile
cartilage-covered articular surfaces of the bones. The section through a fi nger joint below and the dissections of the knee
joint on the opposite page illustrate the basic features of a synovial joint. The pages that follow depict the major synovial
joints of the skeleton. One other key feature among synovial joints that is responsible for their varied range of motion is the
shape of the adjoining bone surfaces. It is this feature that anatomists use to describe the different types of synovial joints.
1 Middle phalanx of index finger
2 Proximal phalanx of index finger
3 Fibrous membrane of joint capsule
4 Synovial membrane of joint capsule
5 Articular cartilage
6 Joint cavity
7 Collateral ligament
8 Quadriceps tendon
9 Patellar ligament
10 Suprapatellar bursa
11 Synovial fold
12 Meniscus
13 Periosteum
14 Junction of periosteum (removed) with fibrous membrane
15 Junction of synovial membrane (removed) with articular cartilage
16 Femur with periosteum removed
17 Tibia with periosteum removed
18 Fibula with periosteum removed
19 Patella within quadriceps tendon
Proximal interphalangeal joint showing design of synovial joint
Frontal section, anterior view
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