Muscle tissue consists of muscle fibers that are capable of contraction along their .

Longitudinal Axis

Functions of Skeletal Muscle 1. Produce skeletal movement Muscles move the bones of the skeleton by their connective tissue attachments. his enables all kinds of voluntary movement. !. Maintains posture and body position "hen not moving the various parts of the supportive skeleton are held in position by isometric muscle contraction. #. Supports soft tissue he $eight of the abdominopelvic viscera is supported by the muscles of the abdominal $all and the pelvic floor. %. &uards entrances and exits Skeletal muscle forms sphincters around orifices of the digestive and urinary tracts. '. Maintains body temperature Muscle contraction generates heat that is involved in maintaining normal body temperature.

Anatomy of Skeletal Muscles

Skeletal muscle can only exert force on a structure if it is harnessed in some $ay to that structure. performs this role. he organi(ation of fibers $ithin the muscle gives rise to three concentric wrappings of connective tissue.

)onnective issue 1. !. #.

1. *ach individual muscle fiber is surrounded by a delicate net$ork of reticular fibers called . binds fibers to their neighbors and supports the capillaries that supply the fibers.

*ndomysium

he muscle fibers bound together by the endomysium form a bundle called a .

fascicle

he fascicles are surrounded by connective tissue containing collagen and elastic fibers that supports the blood vessels and nerves that serve the fibers of the fascicles. his connective tissue is called the .

Perimysium

he entire muscle is surrounded by dense irregular connective tissue that separates the muscle from the surrounding tissue and organs. his is the .

*pimysium

he fibers of the endomysium, perimysium and epimysium converge on the points of attachment of the muscle to bone+ skin or muscle. his fibrous connection transfers the force of contraction of the muscle to the attachment point. "hen the attachment is round and resembles a thick cord or cable it is called a . "hen the attachment is broad and forms a sheet it is called an ,sing.-.

1. endon !. Aponeurosis

Skeletal muscle uses and demands nutrients and oxygen that are supplied by blood vessels that enter the muscle along the connective tissue partitions and eventual form capillary networks that surround each muscle fiber. *ach muscle fiber is also controlled by a nerve that forms a single attachment point $ith each fiber at the + a.k.a. .

neuromuscular .unction myoneural .unction

Skeletal muscle cells develop $hen hundreds of individual embryonic cells called fuse. he resulting cells/ cell membrane is called the and the cytoplasm is called .

1. Myoblasts !. Sarcolemma #. Sarcoplasm

Skeletal muscles are very large. heir diameter is about 100 microns ,about 1# times the diameter of a red blood cell- and they can be as long as 30 to 40 cm ,10 to 11 in.-.

Skeletal muscles are he nuclei of the myoblasts that fuse to form the cell remain $ithin the cell. Some myoblasts do not fuse but remain associated $ith the fiber as that can divide and differentiate to repair damaged cells.

1. Multinucleate !. Satellite )ells

here are internal tubular extensions of the sarcolemma into the sarcoplasm called Aka 2 .

ranverse ubules 2 ubules

"ithin each skeletal muscle cell or fiber there are cylindrical structures called .

Myofibrils

he are about 13100 the diameter of the cell but extend the full length of the cell and attach to the cell membrane at either end. Contraction of the result in contraction of the entire cell.

Myofibrils

form loops around myofibrils along their entire length.

ransverse ubules

n between the loops of transverse tubule+ there is a network of tubules of smooth endoplasmic reticulum called the . he surrounds the myofibril like a sleeve.

Sarcoplasmic 4eticulum

he sarcoplasmic reticulum on either side of the loops of transverse tubules fuse to form expanded chambers called .

terminal cisternae

he combination of a transverse tubule flanked by two terminal cisternae is called a .

riad

he energy for muscle contraction is supplied by the numerous that surround the myofibrils.

Mitochondria

that also surround the myofibrils as a ready source of fuel.

&lycogen &ranules

he myofibrils are made2up of . he are organi(ed in repeating units along the length of the myofibril called .

Myofilaments Myofilaments Sarcomeres

he primary microfilaments in myofibrils are ,thin- and ,thick- filaments. "ithin each sarcomere there is a precise arrangement of these filaments. he sarcomeres of neighboring myofibrils are in alignment and they create the banding pattern visible $ith the light microscope.

1. Actin !. Myosin

he difference in the si(e and density of the thick and thin filaments is responsible for the banding pattern.

he center of the sarcomere has a narro$ band called the $here there are only thick filaments.

526and

he 5 band is in the center of the that includes a (one of overlap bet$een the thick and thin filaments.

A 2 6and

7n the (one of overlap+ each thick filament is surrounded by six thin filaments and each thin filament is surrounded by three thick filaments.

he is $here the thin filaments do not overlap with the thick filaments at either end of the sarcomere+ and straddling the .

7 6and 8 Line

itin