Chapter 6A (The Muscular System)

Muscular System

Responsible for all types of body movement.

Three basic muscle types

Skeletal muscle, Cardiac muscle, Smooth muscle.

Skeletal muscle

Attached to bones or some facial muscles, striated and voluntary.

Cardiac muscle

Found in the walls of the heart, branched and involuntary.

Smooth muscle

Found in walls of hollow visceral organs, fusiform shape and involuntary.

Muscle cell

Also known as a muscle fiber.

Microfilaments

Movements within muscles responsible for contraction and shortening.

Prefixes myo- and mys-

Refer to 'muscle'.

Prefix sarco-

Refers to 'flesh'.

Skeletal muscle fibers

Most are attached by tendons to bones.

Skeletal muscle cells

Large, cigar-shaped, multinucleate, and striated.

Voluntary muscle

Muscle tissue subject to conscious control.

Endomysium

Connective tissue that encloses a single muscle fiber.

Perimysium

Connective tissue that wraps around a fascicle (bundle) of muscle fibers.

Epimysium

Covers the entire skeletal muscle.

Fascia

Connective tissue on the outside of the epimysium.

Tendons

Cordlike structures mostly made of collagen fibers.

Aponeuroses

Sheet-like structures that attach muscles indirectly to bones or connective tissue.

Cigar-shaped muscle cells

Describes the unique shape of skeletal muscle cells.

Striated muscle

Another name for skeletal muscle due to its obvious stripes.

Branches in cardiac muscle

Indicates the branching patterns of cardiac muscle cells.

Uninucleate muscle cells

Refers to cells having one nucleus, as seen in cardiac and smooth muscles.

Multinucleate muscle cells

Refers to cells having multiple nuclei, as seen in skeletal muscles.

Hollow visceral organs

Structures where smooth muscle is primarily found.

Involuntary muscle

Muscle that operates without conscious control, like cardiac and smooth muscles.

Muscle fiber

Another term for muscle cell.

Connective tissue in skeletal muscle

Bundles and surrounds muscle fibers.

Striations

Visible bands found in skeletal and cardiac muscles.

Intercalated discs

Specialized connections between cardiac muscle cells.

Fusiform shape

Describes the elongated, spindle-like shape of smooth muscle cells.

Cyllindrical muscle cells

Describes the structure of skeletal muscle fibers.

Ligaments

Tissues that connect bones to other bones.

Aponeurosis examples

Tissues that attach muscles indirectly, such as palmar aponeurosis.

Facial muscles

Some skeletal muscles attached to skin.

Collagen fibers

Protein fibers that provide strength and support to tendons.

Muscle contractions

Result from the movement of microfilaments.

Muscle terminology

Includes specific prefixes like myo-, mys-, and sarco-.

Location of smooth muscle

Found in the walls of hollow visceral organs excluding the heart.

Muscle movement

Function of all muscle types relying on muscle contraction.