Anatomy of Skeletal Muscle Flashcards

Connective Tissues in Skeletal Muscle

• Perimysium: Connective tissue that surrounds a group of muscle fibers known as a fascicle, providing support and pathway for nerves and blood vessels.
• Epimysium: The outer layer of connective tissue encasing the entire muscle, offering structural integrity and protection.
• Endomysium: Delicate layer of connective tissue that surrounds and supports individual muscle fibers, ensuring proper nutrient transfer and mechanical stability.

Muscle Cell Structure

• Fiber: A term used to refer to a single muscle cell; essential for muscle contraction and responsible for force generation.
• Myofibril: A long, cylindrical structure within a muscle fiber containing the contractile proteins actin and myosin, integral for muscle contraction.

Functional Units of Muscle

• Sarcomere: The smallest functional unit of a muscle, defined by the segment between two Z lines; responsible for muscle contraction through the sliding filament mechanism.

Muscle Cell Components

• Sarcolemma: The plasma membrane surrounding a muscle cell, crucial for transmitting electrical impulses that initiate contraction.
• Fascicle: A discrete bundle of muscle fibers that organizes muscle structure and facilitates coordinated contraction.

Muscle Attachments

• Tendon: A fibrous connective tissue that extends from the muscle, anchoring it to the bone, facilitating movement through force transmission.