ossaturas

Ossatura is the set of bones and supporting structures that form the skeleton of an organism or the structural framework of an object. In Italian usage, the term covers both the biological skeleton and the underlying framework of a construction or vehicle.

Biologically, the ossatura consists mainly of bones and cartilage, organized into the axial skeleton (skull, spine, rib cage) and the appendicular skeleton (limbs and girdles). Bone tissue is dynamic, capable of growth, remodeling, and repair; bone marrow produces blood cells; joints and connective tissues such as ligaments and tendons connect components and enable movement. The ossatura provides protection for organs, stores minerals, and serves as a site for hematopoietic activity.

In comparative biology, different skeletal designs are observed. Endoskeletons are internal frameworks (as in vertebrates and some echinoderms), while exoskeletons are external frameworks found in other groups (such as arthropods). Some organisms have specialized mineralized structures that function as part of their ossatura.

In non-biological fields, the term is used to denote a structural framework. In architecture and civil engineering, ossatura describes the load-bearing skeleton of a building or bridge—the arrangement of beams and trusses that support loads, to which cladding and finishes are applied. In shipbuilding, the hull’s ossatura refers to its internal framework.

Ossatura relates to related concepts such as skeleton, osteology, ossification, and the skeletal system.