What are the building blocks of the skeletal structure?

Bones are indeed the foundational components of the skeletal structure. They provide the primary framework that supports the body and enables movement. The human skeleton, which consists of approximately 206 bones in adults, plays a vital role in protecting internal organs, facilitating mobility, and serving as a crucial site for the production of blood cells within the bone marrow.

The relationship of bones to the other options helps clarify their specific roles: joints are where two bones meet and allow for movement; cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in various parts of the body, including joint surfaces, and provides cushioning; while ligaments are bands of tissue that connect bones to other bones, contributing to joint stability. However, none of these can be considered the primary building block of the skeletal structure in the way that bones are.