PW11

Hypertrophy

Increase in the size of existing muscle fibers, resulting in larger muscles.

Atrophy

Decrease in muscle size due to disuse, injury, disease, or aging.

Sarcopenia

Age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function.

Angiogenesis

Formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels.

Intercalated Disc

Specialized connection between cardiac muscle cells that allows rapid communication and coordinated contraction.

Desmosome

Cell junction that strongly binds adjacent cells together and helps tissues resist stress.

Autorhythmic Cell

Specialized cardiac cell that generates electrical impulses without external stimulation.

Dense Body

Structure in smooth muscle that anchors actin filaments and functions similarly to a Z disc in skeletal muscle.

Hyperplasia

Increase in the number of cells within a tissue or organ.

Satellite Cell

Muscle stem cell responsible for muscle growth, repair, and regeneration.

Myoblast

immature muscle cell that develops into muscle tissue.

Myotube

Developing muscle fiber formed when multiple myoblasts fuse together.

Fibrosis

Excessive formation of connective tissue, often replacing normal tissue after injury.

Origin

The attachment point of a muscle that remains relatively stationary during contraction.

Insertion

The attachment point of a muscle that moves during contraction.

Lever

A rigid structure, usually a bone, that moves around a fulcrum to produce movement.

Fulcrum

The fixed point around which a lever rotates.

Maximus

Anatomical term meaning the largest muscle in a group.

Medius

Anatomical term meaning the middle-sized muscle in a group.

Minimus

Anatomical term meaning the smallest muscle in a group.

Brevis

Anatomical term meaning short.

Longus

Anatomical term meaning long.

Lateralis

Located farther from the midline of the body.

Medialis

Located closer to the midline of the body.

Rectus

Muscle fibers run straight and parallel to the body's midline.

Oblique

Muscle fibers run diagonally to the body's midline.

Flexion

Movement that decreases the angle between two body parts.

Extension

Movement that increases the angle between two body parts.

Pronation

Rotation of the forearm so the palm faces downward or backward.

Supination

Rotation of the forearm so the palm faces upward or forward.