20 Mar 2022

Why our bones are a lot more than just scaffolding

From Sunday Morning, 9:42 am on 20 March 2022

As part of the musculoskeletal system, our bones work with muscles and joints to hold our body together and support movement. But our bones do so much more than provide support for our body. Research over the past couple of decades has shown that bones engage in complex chemical conversations with other parts of the body, not to mention being a depository for the minerals that are essential for our nerves and cells to work properly. Professor Laura McCabe is a physiologist at Michigan State University in East Lansing who is an expert on bones and the role they play in our body. She joins the show to discuss the fascinating role bones play aside from ensuring we remain upright.

Professor Laura McCabe and her favourite skeleton.

Professor Laura McCabe and her favourite skeleton. Photo: Supplied/Laura McCabe