Lesson 5.1: Learning the Key Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering muscular system terms and definitions from Lesson 5.1.

Agonist

Role played by a skeletal muscle to cause a movement

Antagonist

Role played by a skeletal muscle acting to slow or stop a movement

Aponeurosis

A flat, sheetlike fibrous tissue that connects muscle or bone to other tissues

Concentric

A type of contraction that results in shortening of a muscle

Contractility

The ability to contract or shorten

Eccentric

Contraction accompanied by lengthening of a muscle

Endomysium

A fine, protective sheath of connective tissue around a skeletal muscle fiber

Epimysium

The outermost sheath of connective tissue that surrounds a skeletal muscle

Extensibility

The ability to be stretched

Fascicle

A bundle of muscle fibers

Irritability

The ability to respond to a stimulus

Isometric

A type of contraction that involves no change in muscle length

Muscle fiber

An individual skeletal muscle cell

Perimysium

A connective tissue sheath that envelops each primary bundle of muscle fibers

Peristalsis

A wave of symmetrical squeezing of the digestive tract walls that occurs during digestion

Sarcolemma

The delicate membrane surrounding each striated muscle fiber