Skeletal Muscle Physiology

Study Notes

Skeletal Muscle Overview

Skeletal muscle constitutes approximately 40% of body mass, while smooth and cardiac muscles account for nearly 10%.
Similar principles of contraction apply across all muscle types.

Physiologic Anatomy

Each skeletal muscle consists of numerous parallel-arranged muscle fibers.
Muscle fibers are cylindrical, measuring 10-100 µm in diameter.
The cell membrane of muscle fibers is known as sarcolemma; the cytoplasm is referred to as sarcoplasm.
Sarcoplasm contains organelles like mitochondria and Golgi apparatus, as well as myofibrils which are contractile elements.
A muscle fiber houses hundreds to thousands of myofibrils.

Myofibrils and Striations

Two types of tubular structures associated with myofibrils: longitudinal tubules and transverse (T) tubules.
Skeletal muscle fibers are categorized as striated muscles due to visible transverse striations.
Myofibrils have alternating light (I) and dark (A) bands.
The I band is interrupted by a dark line called the Z-line, with segments between Z-lines termed sarcomeres (the functional unit).
The A band features a lighter area known as the H band.

Myofilaments

Myofibrils comprise finer myofilaments categorized as thin and thick filaments.
Thin Filament (Actin Filament):
- Extends from the Z-line towards but does not reach the middle of the H band when the fiber is at its normal resting length (about 2 µm for the sarcomere).
- Composed of approximately 3000 actin filaments formed from globular actin molecules (G actin).
- Features an active site essential for interaction with cross bridges from thick filaments (myosin) to facilitate muscle contraction.

Description

This quiz explores the composition and physiology of skeletal muscles, which constitute a significant portion of the human body. Understand the structure of muscle fibers, their characteristics, and the principles of contraction that apply to different muscle types. Test your knowledge on the anatomical features of skeletal muscles.