Nonbone

Nonbone is a nonstandard, umbrella term used to refer to tissues, structures, or materials that are not osseous tissue (bone). It is not an official anatomical category, but appears in some educational and interdisciplinary contexts to contrast bone with other tissue types or with synthetic materials studied in medicine, biology, and engineering.

In anatomy and histology, nonbone tissues include cartilage, fibrous connective tissue such as ligaments and tendons, muscle, adipose tissue, skin, and most membranes. In the skeletal system, joints and intervertebral discs contain nonbone elements—such as cartilage and fibrous tissue—that differ from the mineralized bone matrix. In dentistry, enamel and dentin are nonbone tissues, as are the soft tissues of the pulp and surrounding mucosa.

In biomaterials and tissue engineering, the term may be used to distinguish bone-forming tissues and bone-like scaffolds from materials designed to interact with nonbone tissues or to replace nonbone structures. The term nonosseous or non-osseous is sometimes used as a synonym, but these terms are not universally adopted and may cause ambiguity with other medical descriptors.

Because nonbone is not a formal anatomical category, its meaning depends on context. When precision is required, specialists prefer terms such as nonosseous tissue, cartilage, or specific tissue names to avoid confusion.