Based on what you know of bone features, what do you think this canal is for? Why would we need a hollow space in this area of this bone?

The mandibular canal, also referred to as the Inferior Alveolar Canal (IAC), sits within the mandible. It serves the purpose of housing the inferior alveolar nerve which is responsible for supplying sensation to the lower teeth.

This canal also houses the inferior alveolar vein - a dental vein whose function is to (with the assistance of the posterior alveolar artery) drain blood from the lower teeth and jaw.

A picture of the mandibular canal is attached.

Cheers!

fertilization, pictured in figure 24.23a is the process in which gametes (an egg and sperm) fuse to form a zygote. the egg and sperm each contain one set of chromosomes. to ensure that the offspring has only one complete diploid set of chromosomes, only one sperm must fuse with one egg. in mammals, the egg is protected by a layer of extracellular matrix consisting mainly of glycoproteins called the zona pellucida. when a sperm binds to the zona pellucida, a series of biochemical events, called the acrosomal reactions, take place. in placental mammals, the acrosome contains digestive enzymes that initiate the degradation of the glycoprotein matrix protecting the egg and allowing the sperm plasma membrane to fuse with the egg plasma membrane, as illustrated in figure 24.23b. the fusion of these two membranes creates an opening through which the sperm nucleus is transferred into the ovum. the nuclear membranes of the egg and sperm break down and the two haploid genomes condense to form a diploid genome.

explanation: