What is the primary function of the periosteum?

The primary function of the periosteum is protection. The periosteum is a dense layer of connective tissue that envelops the bones, serving to protect them from external damage and providing a surface for the attachment of tendons and ligaments. It plays a crucial role in bone health as it contains nerve fibers and blood vessels that nourish the bone tissue beneath it, further contributing to the protective role by facilitating repair and maintenance.

While blood cell production is a function carried out in the bone marrow, which is found within certain bones rather than in the periosteum itself, joint movement and muscle attachment are also important functions associated with bones but are not the primary roles of the periosteum. Muscle attachment occurs at various points on bone surfaces, but the periosteum serves more as a protective covering and a conduit for vascular and nervous supplies rather than as the primary site for muscle attachment or movement mechanics.