Skeletal Muscle Anatomy

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and definitions related to the anatomy of skeletal muscle.

Tendon

Connects muscle to bone.

Fascia

Extension of the tendon.

Epimysium

Outer layer of connective tissue that surrounds skeletal muscle.

Perimysium

Inner layer of connective tissue that surrounds fascicles.

Fascicle

Bundles of myofibers.

Endomysium

Inner layer of connective tissue that surrounds muscle fibers (myofibers).

Sarcolemma

Cell membrane of a myofiber (myocyte).

Sarcoplasm

Cytoplasm of the myocyte.

Myofiber

Muscle cell (myocyte) or muscle fiber.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum

Surrounds myofibrils; responsible for Ca2+ storage and electrical impulses.

Myofibril

Basic unit of myofibers composed of bundles of protein filaments.

Sarcomere

Functional unit of muscle contraction; segment of a muscle fiber that goes from Z line to Z line.

Transverse tubule

Propagates action potentials into the cell's interior.

Actin

Thin filament that provides mechanical support and movement forces.

Myosin

Thick filament that converts chemical energy (ATP) to mechanical energy.

Titin

Stabilizes myosin and sarcomeres.

Troponin

Binding site for Ca2+ during muscle contraction.

Tropomyosin

Coils around actin and is attached to actin by troponin.