The skeletal system is composed of 206 bones that make up the framework of the body. The skeleton can be divided into the axial skeleton of 80 bones, including the skull, spine, ribs, and sternum, and the appendicular skeleton of 126 bones, including the shoulder and pelvic girdles and long bones of the arms and legs. Bones provide structure and support to the body, protect organs, store minerals, allow for movement through joints between bones, and are the site of blood cell formation in bone marrow.