Muscle Performance and Types of Muscle Fibers

These flashcards cover key concepts about muscle performance, types of skeletal muscle fibers, muscle hypertrophy and atrophy, and characteristics of cardiac and smooth muscle tissues.

What is the maximum amount of tension produced by a muscle called?

Force.

What does endurance refer to in muscle performance?

The amount of time an activity can be sustained.

What are the three major types of skeletal muscle fibers?

Fast fibers, slow fibers, and intermediate fibers.

What characteristics define fast fibers (white fibers)?

They contract very quickly, have a large diameter, large glycogen reserves, few mitochondria, produce strong contractions, fatigue quickly, and use glucose anaerobically.

Why are slow fibers (red fibers) red?

They have a lot of hemoglobin.

What is muscle hypertrophy?

Muscle growth from heavy training that increases the diameter of muscle fibers, number of myofibrils, mitochondria, and glycogen reserves.

What is muscle atrophy?

Lack of muscle activity that reduces muscle size, tone, and power.

What does the phrase 'What you don’t use, you lose' imply about muscles?

It emphasizes the importance of exercise in maintaining muscle tone and strength.

What happens to muscles after prolonged inactivity?

They become flaccid, can break down proteins, become smaller and weaker, and fibrous tissue may replace muscle fibers.

What type of muscle tissue are cardiac muscle cells?

Striated muscle tissue found only in the heart.

What are intercalated discs?

Specialized contact points between cardiocytes that join the cell membranes of adjacent cardiocytes.

What role does smooth muscle play in the integumentary system?

Smooth muscle forms around other tissues such as arrector pili muscles that cause 'goose bumps'.