CHAPTER 6:
The Muscular System
The Muscular System
Muscles are responsible for all types of body
movement
Three basic muscle types are found in the body
Skeletal muscle
Cardiac muscle
Smooth muscle
Characteristics of Muscles
Muscle cells are elongated
(muscle cell = muscle fiber)
Contraction of muscles is due to the movement of
microfilaments
All muscles share some terminology
Prefix myo refers to muscle
Prefix mys refers to muscle
Prefix sarco refers to flesh
Skeletal Muscle Characteristics
Most are attached by tendons to bones
Cells are multinucleate
Striated – have visible banding
Voluntary – subject to conscious control
Cells are surrounded and bundled by connective
tissue
Connective Tissue Wrappings of
Skeletal Muscle
Endomysium – around
single muscle fiber
Perimysium – around a
fascicle (bundle) of fibers
Epimysium – covers the
entire skeletal muscle
Fascia – on the outside of
the epimysium
Skeletal Muscle Attachments
Epimysium blends into a connective tissue attachment
Tendon – cord-like structure
Aponeuroses – sheet-like structure
Sites of muscle attachment
Bones
Cartilages
Connective tissue coverings
Smooth Muscle Characteristics
Has no striations
Spindle-shaped cells
Single nucleus
Involuntary – no conscious
control
Found mainly in the walls
of hollow organs
Cardiac Muscle Characteristics
Has striations
Usually has a single
nucleus
Joined to another muscle
cell at an intercalated disc
Involuntary
Found only in the heart
Function of Muscles
Produce movement
Maintain posture
Stabilize joints
Generate heat
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Cells are multinucleate
Nuclei are just beneath the sarcolemma
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Myofibril
Bundles of myofilaments
Myofibrils are aligned to give distinct bands
I band =
light band
A band =
dark band
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Sarcomere
Contractile unit of a muscle fiber
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Organization of the sarcomere
Thick filaments = myosin filaments
Composed of the protein myosin
Has ATPase enzymes
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Organization of the sarcomere
Thin filaments = actin filaments
Composed of the protein actin
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Myosin filaments have heads (extensions, or cross
bridges)
Myosin and
actin overlap
somewhat
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
At rest, there is a bare zone that lacks actin filaments
Sarcoplasmic
reticulum
(SR) – for
storage of
calcium
Properties of Skeletal Muscle Activity
Irritability – ability to receive and respond to a
stimulus
Contractility – ability to shorten when an adequate
stimulus is received
Nerve Stimulus to Muscles
Skeletal muscles must
be stimulated by a nerve
to contract
Motor unit
One neuron
Muscle cells stimulated
by that neuron
Nerve Stimulus to Muscles
Neuromuscular junctions – association site of nerve
and muscle
Nerve Stimulus to Muscles
Synaptic cleft – gap
between nerve and
muscle
Nerve and muscle do not
make contact
Area between nerve and
muscle is filled with
interstitial fluid
Transmission of Nerve Impulse to
Muscle
Neurotransmitter – chemical released by nerve upon
arrival of nerve impulse
The neurotransmitter for skeletal muscle is acetylcholine
Neurotransmitter attaches to receptors on the
sarcolemma
Sarcolemma becomes permeable to sodium (Na+)
Transmission of Nerve Impulse to
Muscle
Sodium rushing into the cell generates an action
potential
Once started, muscle contraction cannot be stopped
The Sliding Filament Theory of Muscle
Contraction
Activation by nerve causes
myosin heads
(crossbridges) to attach to
binding sites on the thin
filament
Myosin heads then bind to
the next site of the thin
filament
The Sliding Filament Theory of Muscle
Contraction
This continued action
causes a sliding of the
myosin along the actin
The result is that the muscle
is shortened (contracted)
Contraction of a Skeletal Muscle
Muscle fiber contraction is “all or none”
Within a skeletal muscle, not all fibers may be
stimulated during the same interval
Different combinations of muscle fiber contractions
may give differing responses
Graded responses – different degrees of skeletal
muscle shortening
Types of Graded Responses
Twitch
Single, brief contraction
Not a normal muscle function
Types of Graded Responses
Tetanus (summing of contractions)
One contraction is immediately followed by another
The muscle does
not completely
return to a
resting state
The effects
are added
Types of Graded Responses
Unfused (incomplete) tetanus
Some relaxation occurs between contractions
The results are summed
Types of Graded Responses
Fused (complete) tetanus
No evidence of relaxation before the following
contractions
The result is a sustained muscle contraction
Muscle Response to Strong Stimuli
Muscle force depends upon the number of fibers
stimulated
More fibers contracting results in greater muscle
tension
Muscles can continue to contract unless they run out
of energy
Energy for Muscle Contraction
Initially, muscles used stored ATP for energy
Bonds of ATP are broken to release energy
Only 4-6 seconds worth of ATP is stored by muscles
After this initial time, other pathways must be utilized
to produce ATP
Energy for Muscle Contraction
Direct phosphorylation
Muscle cells contain
creatine phosphate (CP)
CP is a high-energy molecule
After ATP is depleted, ADP
is left
CP transfers energy to
ADP, to regenerate ATP
CP supplies are exhausted
in about 20 seconds
Energy for Muscle Contraction
Aerobic Respiration
Series of metabolic
pathways that occur in
the mitochondria
Glucose is broken down
to carbon dioxide and
water, releasing energy
This is a slower reaction
that requires continuous
oxygen
Energy for Muscle Contraction
Anaerobic glycolysis
Reaction that breaks down glucose
without oxygen
Glucose is broken down to pyruvic
acid to produce some ATP
Pyruvic acid is converted to lactic
acid
Energy for Muscle Contraction
Anaerobic glycolysis (continued)
This reaction is not as efficient, but
is fast
Huge amounts of glucose are
needed
Lactic acid produces muscle fatigue
Muscle Fatigue and Oxygen Debt
When a muscle is fatigued, it is unable to contract
The common reason for muscle fatigue is oxygen
debt
Oxygen must be “repaid” to tissue to remove oxygen
debt
Oxygen is required to get rid of accumulated lactic acid
Increasing acidity (from lactic acid) and lack of ATP
causes the muscle to contract less
Types of Muscle Contractions
Isotonic contractions
Myofilaments are able to slide past each other during
contractions
The muscle shortens
Isometric contractions
Tension in the muscles increases
The muscle is unable to shorten
Muscle Tone
Some fibers are contracted even in a relaxed muscle
Different fibers contract at different times to provide
muscle tone
The process of stimulating various fibers is under
involuntary control
Muscles and Body Movements
Movement is attained due
to a muscle moving an
attached bone
Muscles are attached to at
least two points
Origin – attachment to a
moveable bone
Insertion – attachment to an
immovable bone
Effects of Exercise on Muscle
Results of increased muscle use
Increase in muscle size
Increase in muscle strength
Increase in muscle efficiency
Muscle becomes more fatigue resistant
Types of Ordinary Body Movements
Flexion - a movement, that decreases the angle of the joint and
brings two bones closer together
Extension - a movement that increases the angle, or the distance,
between two bones or parts of the body (straightening the knee or
elbow)
Rotation - movement of a bone around its longitudinal axis
Abduction - moving a limb away from the midline, or median plane,
of the body
Adduction - movement of a limb toward the body midline
Circumduction - combination of flexion, extension, abduction, and
adduction commonly seen in ball-and-socket joints such as the
shoulder
Body Movements
Body Movements
Special Movements
Dorsifelxion
Plantar flexion
Inversion
Eversion
Supination
Pronation
Opposition
Types of Muscles
Prime mover – muscle with the major responsibility
for a certain movement
Antagonist – muscle that opposes or reverses a prime
mover
Synergist – muscle that aids a prime mover in a
movement and helps prevent rotation
Fixator – stabilizes the origin of a prime mover
Naming of Skeletal Muscles
Direction of muscle fibers
Example: rectus (straight)
Relative size of the muscle
Example: maximus (largest)
Naming of Skeletal Muscles
Location of the muscle
Example: many muscles are named for bones (e.g.,
temporalis)
Number of origins
Example: triceps (three heads)
Naming of Skeletal Muscles
Location of the muscle’s origin and insertion
Example: sterno (on the sternum)
Shape of the muscle
Example: deltoid (triangular)
Action of the muscle
Example: flexor and extensor (flexes or extends a bone)
Head and Neck Muscles
1
3 6
4 5
Trunk Muscles
Deep Trunk and Arm Muscles
Muscles of the Pelvis, Hip, and Thigh
Muscles of the Lower Leg
Superficial Muscles: Anterior
Superficial Muscles: Posterior
3
6
5
4
1
2
