• Junction between adjacent bones that provide painless range of motion and stability
• Synovial or nonsynovial
  
  
• Synovial joints:
  • Also called diarthroses
  • Contain joint space between ends of bones formed by endochondral ossification
  • Joints covered by hyaline cartilage, strengthened by dense fibrous capsule continuous with periosteum of bones and an inner synovial membrane
  • Joint is reinforced by ligaments and muscles
  • Presence of joint space allows wide range of motion and maintains stability during use
    
    
    Different types of synovial joints
  
  
• Nonsynovial joints:
  • Also called solid joint or synarthrosis
  • No joint space present
  • Provides structural integrity and minimal movement
  • May be fibrous / synarthrosis (cranial sutures, bonds between roots of teeth and jaw bones) or cartilaginous / amphiarthrosis (manubriosternalis and pubic)
• Bursae:
  • Found when muscles, tendons and skin glide over bony prominences
  • Subject to same diseases as large joint spaces
• Menisci:
  • Composed of collagen arranged circumferentially with some radial fibers
  • In young adults, are white, translucent and supple
  • Become more opaque, yellow, less supple in elderly

Structure of joint synarthrosis and symphysis

Shoulder joint

Synovial joints - distal phalanx (interphalangeal joint) - H&E

• Mcgraw-Hill (pdf)

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