Bone still cartilaginous. The following steps are followed in the conversion of cartilage to bone: Bones have a variety of functions: Bones serve a variety of mechanical functions. Together the bones in the body form the skeleton. They provide a frame to keep the body supported, and an attachment point for skeletal muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints, which function together to generate and transfer forces so that individual body parts or the whole body can be manipulated in three-dimensional space (the interaction between bone and muscle is studied in biomechanics). Bones protect internal organs, such as the skull protecting the brain
Coffin bone Coffin bone The coffin bone, also known as the pedal bone (U.S.), is the bottommost bone in the equine leg and is encased by the hoof capsule. Also known as the distal phalanx, third phalanx, or "P3". The coffin bone meets the short pastern bone or second phalanx at the coffin joint. The coffin bone is connected to the inner wall of the horse hoof by a structure called the laminar layer. The insensitive laminae coming in from the hoof wall connects to the sensitive laminae layer, containing the blood supply and nerves, which is attached to the coffin bone.