Compact Bone vs Spongy Bone

Difference between Compact and Spongy Bone: Bones are the primary structure of vertebrate skeleton system which provides shape to the body and supports the muscles. Apart from this, the bone also produces the blood tissue. Based on the nature of bone-matrix, the skeletal bones are classified into two categories – (1) Compact bones and (2) Spongy bones.

(1) Compact bone: They are tough and heavy bones made of compactly packed osteons. They form the shaft or diaphysis of long bones.

(2) Spongy bone: They are soft and light bones make up of loosely packed trabeculae. They form the epiphyses (bond ends) of long bones.

Similarities between Compact bone and Spongy bone

@. Both compact bone and spongy bones are structural bones.

@. Both are the components of the skeletal system of an organism.

@. Both provide shape and structure to the organism.

@. Both are osseous tissues.

@. Both support the functioning of muscles.

Difference between Compact and Spongy Bone

Sl. No.	Compact (Cortical) Bone	Spongy (Cancellous) Bone
1	Also called as cortical bones	Also called as cancellous bones
2	They are compact, heavy and tough in nature	They are spongy, light and soft in nature
3	Forms the diaphysis (shaft) of long bones	Forms the epiphyses (ends) of long bones
4	Compact bones fills the outer layers of most of the bones	Spongy bones fills the inner layers of most of the bones
5	Made up of osteons	Made up of trabeculae
6	Bone lamellae are arranged in regular Haversian system	Bone lamellae are arranged as interlocking networks
7	No gaps between lamella	Small spaces occurs between the bone lamella
8	Possess bone-marrow cavity in the center	Bone marrow cavity absent
9	Bone marrow is located in the bone marrow cavity	Bone marrow is located in the space between the lamella
10	Bone marrow is yellow in color	Bone marrow is red in color
11	Bone marrow store fat	Bone marrow produces red corpuscles and granular white corpuscles

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