<Tr> <Th> TA </Th> <Td> A02. 3.03. 001 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> FMA </Th> <Td> 7485 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Anatomical terms of bone (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bone located in the center of the chest . It connects to the ribs via cartilage and forms the front of the rib cage, thus helping to protect the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels from injury . Shaped roughly like a necktie, it is one of the largest and longest flat bones of the body . Its three regions are the manubrium, the body, and the xiphoid process . The word "sternum" originates from the Greek στέρνον, meaning "chest". </P>

The distal portion of the sternum is known as the