The Muscular System

Muscular System

The body system responsible for movement, consisting of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscles.

Skeletal Muscle

A type of muscle that is attached to bones and responsible for voluntary movements.

Cardiac Muscle

Involuntary muscle found only in the walls of the heart, responsible for pumping blood.

Smooth Muscle

Involuntary muscle found in the walls of hollow organs, such as the intestines and blood vessels.

Muscle Fiber

The individual muscle cells that make up skeletal muscles, which contract to produce movement.

Myofibrils

Bundles of proteins within muscle fibers that contract and relax, aiding muscle movement.

Sarcomere

The basic structural and functional unit of muscle tissue, responsible for muscle contraction.

Muscle Tone

The continuous and passive partial contraction of muscles, helping maintain posture.

Isometric Contraction

A type of muscle contraction where the length of the muscle does not change while generating force.

Isotonic Contraction

A type of muscle contraction where the muscle changes in length while generating force, causing movement.

Tendon

A fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone, transmitting force from muscle contractions.