The Muscular System

Human body contains over 400 skeletal muscles

40-50% of total body weight

There are four characteristics associated

with muscle tissue:
Excitability

- Tissue can receive & respond to stimulation

Contractility

- Tissue can shorten & thicken

Extensibility

- Tissue can lengthen

Elasticity

- After contracting or lengthening, tissue

always wants to return to its resting state

The characteristics of muscle tissue enable it to

perform some important functions, including:

Movement both voluntary & involuntary

Maintaining posture
Supporting soft tissues within body cavities
Guarding entrances & exits of the body
Maintaining body temperature

Types of muscle tissue:

Skeletal

Cardiac

Smooth (Visceral)

Types of muscle tissue:

Skeletal muscle tissue
Associated with & attached to the skeleton
Under our conscious (voluntary) control
Microscopically the tissue appears striated
Cells are long, cylindrical & multinucleate

Cardiac muscle tissue

Makes up myocardium of heart
Unconsciously (involuntarily) controlled
Microscopically appears striated
Cells are short, branching & have a single nucleus
Cells connect to each other at intercalated discs

Smooth (visceral) muscle tissue

Makes up walls of organs & blood vessels
Tissue is non-striated & involuntary
Cells are short, spindle-shaped & have a single
nucleus
Tissue is extremely extensible, while still retaining
ability to contract

Structure of Skeletal Muscle:

Connective Tissue Covering

Epimysium
Surrounds

Perimysium
Surrounds

entire muscle
bundles of muscle fibers

Fascicles

Endomysium
Surrounds

individual muscle fibers

Anatomy of skeletal muscles

epimysium

tendon

perimysium

Muscle
Fascicle
Surrounded by
perimysium

Skeletal
muscle
Surrounded by
epimysium

endomysium
Skeletal
muscle
fiber (cell)
Surrounded by
endomysium

Gross Anatomy

Each skeletal muscle is wrapped by 3 concentric layers of

connective tissue.

Microanatomy of a Muscle Fiber (cell)

Microanatomy of a Muscle Fiber (Cell)

transverse
(T) tubules

sarcoplasmic
reticulum

sarcolemma

terminal
cisternae

myoglobin
mitochondria
thick myofilament

thin
myofilament

myofibril

nuclei

triad

Muscle fiber

sarcomere
Z-line

myofibril

Thin filaments

Thick filaments

Thin myofilament

Myosin molecule of
thick myofilament

Thin Myofilament

(myosin binding site)

Thick myofilament

(has ATP

& actin
binding
site)

Sarcomere
A band
Z line

Z line
H zone

I band
Thin
myofilaments

Zone of
overlap

Thick
myofilaments

M line

Zone of
overlap

The Sliding Filament Model of

Muscle Contraction

Cross-Bridge Formation in
Muscle Contraction

Sliding Filament Theory

Rest uncharged ATP cross-bridge complex

Excitation-coupling charged ATP cross-bridge
complex, turned on
Contraction actomyosin ATP > ADP & Pi +
energy
Recharging reload cross-bridge with ATP
Relaxation cross-bridges turned off

Physiology of skeletal muscle contraction events

at the myofilaments
Resting sarcomere
ADP
+
P

Myosin head

Active-site exposure
ADP
+ P

Sarcoplasm

Troponin

Actin

ADP
+

Ca2+

Tropomyosin

Cross-bridge formation

Ca2+

Active site
ADP
P +

Myosin reactivation

Ca2+

ADP Ca2+
P +

ADP
P +

Cross bridge detachment

Pivoting of myosin head

ATP

ADP
+ P

ADP + P

Ca2+

Ca2+

Ca2+
ADP
P +

Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Ca2+
Ca2+
ATP

Ca2+
ADP + P

Figure 7-5
1 of 7

Physiology of Skeletal Muscle Contraction

If there are no longer APs generated on
the motor neuron, no more Ach will be
released
AchE will remove Ach from the motor end
plate, and AP transmission on the muscle
fiber will end
Ca+2 gates in the SR will close & Ca+2 will
be actively transported back into the SR

With Ca+2 removed from the sarcoplasm

(& from troponin), tropomyosin will re-cover
the active sites of actin
No more cross-bridge interactions can
form
Thin myofilaments slide back to their
resting state
Table 7-1

Naming of skeletal Muscles

Orientation of fibers

Size & shape

Location

Action
Origin & / or insertion
Specific features
Use muscle name to help identify its
location, appearance and function!

Parallel Muscels
Majority

Spindle shaped with

cord-like tendons
Some flat bands with
broad _____ on
each end

Examples: ?

Convergent muscels
Broad origin,
pointed
insertion
Direction of
pull can be
varied:
versatility!

Pennate Muscles: Unipennate

One or more tendons
run though muscle
body
Fascicles in oblique
angle to tendon
Can generate more
tension

Pennate Muscles:

Bipennate &
Multipennate

Circular Muscles
= Sphincters

Concentric fibers
adjust opening
Examples:
orbicularis occuli
and oris

Muscle Terminology
Origin
Insertion

stationary
moves

Possible: multiple origins

Types of Actions
flexion, extension
adduction,
abduction
elevation,
depression
rotation,
circumduction
pronation,
supination
etc. . . . .

Grouping of Muscles according to

Primary Action
Agonist = Prime Mover

Antagonist (action opposes agonist)

Synergists = Assistants of prime mover

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Origin
Muscle attachment that remains
fixed
Insertion
Muscle attachment that moves
Action
What joint movement a muscle
produces
i.e. flexion, extension, abduction,
etc.

 For muscles to create a movement,

they can only pull, not push
Muscles in the body rarely work alone,
& are usually arranged in groups
surrounding a joint
A muscle that contracts to create the
desired action is known as an agonist or
prime mover
A muscle that helps the agonist is a
synergist

A muscle that opposes the action of the

agonist, therefore undoing the desired
action is an antagonist

Refer:
http://www.jroscoe.co.uk/downlo
ad/tryouts/AQAAS_ch3.pdf

An Overview
of the Major
Skeletal
Muscles

Figure 7-11(a)

An

Overview
of the Major
Skeletal
Muscles

Figure 7-11(b)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles of the Head and Neck

Figure 7-12(a)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles of the
Head and
Neck

Figure 7-12(b)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles of the Head and Neck

Figure 7-12(c)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles of the Anterior Neck

Figure 7-13

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles of
the Spine

Figure 7-14

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Oblique and Rectus
Muscles and the
Diaphragm

Figure 7-15(a)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Oblique and Rectus Muscles and
the Diaphragm

Figure 7-15(b)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Oblique and Rectus Muscles and
the Diaphragm

Figure 7-15(c)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles of the Shoulder

Figure 7-17(a)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles of the Shoulder

Figure 7-17(b)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles that Move the Arm

Figure 7-18(a)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles that Move the Arm

Figure 7-18(b)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That Move the Forearm and Wrist

Figure 7-19

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That Move the Thigh

Figure 7-20(a)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That Move
the Thigh

Figure 7-20(b)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That Move the Leg

Figure 7-21

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That Move the Foot and Toes

Figure 7-22(a)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That Move
the Foot and Toes

Figure 7-22(b)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That Move
the Foot and Toes

Figure 7-22(c)

Anatomy of the Muscular System

Muscles That
Move the Foot
and Toes

Figure 7-22(d)