MUSCULAR SYSTEM

Functions:
• Body movement

• Posture and body support

• Respiration

• Production of body heat

• Communication
 Characteristics of Muscle Tissues:
• Irritability or Excitability – ability to respond
to stimulus

• Extensibility – can be stretched after it contract

• Elasticity – ability to return to its original

resting length after the force has been
removed

• Contractility – ability of the muscle to shorten,

thicken or contract
General Classes of Vertebrate Muscles:
 Base on NS control
1. Involuntary muscles
2. Voluntary muscles

 According to location
1. Somatic muscle
2. Visceral muscle

 Base on Microscopic Appearance

1. Skeletal
2. Cardiac
3. Smooth
Involuntary or smooth muscles
 Walls of digestive tract and other viscera

 Originate from the

transformation of
mesenchyme cells
of splanchnic
mesoderm
 Voluntary or striated muscles
• Arise from the myotomes (muscle plates)
Two kinds:
a. parietal or somatic muscles
– arise from myotomes
– cover most of the body

b. branchial muscles
– arise from hypomere
– gill region and
innervated by cranial
nerves
Somatic muscles
• Orient the body (soma) of the organism in the
external environment.

• Striated and attached to the ligaments,

tendons, bones of the axial and appendicular
skeleton

• Innervated by spinal nerves

• Voluntary

• Derived from myotomes of mesoderm

 Visceral muscles
• Maintain an appropriate internal environment

• Smooth muscles of hollow organs, vessels,

tubes, and ducts, intrinsic muscles of the
eyeballs, and arrector pili

• Innervated by the autonomic ns

• Have undergone little evolutionary changes

through the craniate history because they are
less subject to environmental changes/factors
 Differences between Somatic and Visceral Muscles
Somatic Muscles Visceral Muscles

Striated, skeletal, voluntary Smooth, nonskeletal, involuntary

Primitively segmented Unsegmented

Myotomal Arise mostly from lateral mesoderm

Mostly in body wall and Mostly in splanchnopleure

appendages
Regulate internal environment
Primarily for orientation in
external environment
Innervated by postganglionic fibers of
Innervated directly by spinal autonomic nervous system
nerves and cranial nerves III, IV,
VI, and XII
 Types of vertebrate muscles:

1. Skeletal muscle

2. Smooth muscle

3. Cardiac muscle
Skeletal Muscle
Cardiac Muscle
Smooth Muscle
Comparison of Muscles Features
Feature Skeletal Muscle Cardiac Muscle Smooth Muscle

Location Attached to Heart Internal organs,

skeleton blood vessels, eye

Action Move the bones, Pumps blood Produce

generate heat movements in
internal organs

Nuclei Multiple Single Single

Cell Shape Long, thin fiber Branched Spindle-shape

Striation Present Present Absent

Nerve Supply Necessary for Not necessary for Not necessary for
Nervous control Voluntary Involuntary Involuntary
function function function
 Connective tissue associated
with skeletal muscles
1. Epimysium (muscle fascia) – tough, glistening
collagenous connective tissue that covers the entire
muscle

Strong, cordlike epimysia are called tendons.

Sheet-like epimysium is called aponeurosis.

2. Perimysium – wraps the bundle of fibers called

fascicles

3. Endomysium – encloses each muscle fiber

 wraps the bundle of fibers
called fascicle

(fascia) – tough connective

tissue that covers
the entire muscle

encloses each
muscle fiber
Molecular Structure of a Muscle
Fiber
1. Sarcolemma – thin, elastic, tough
sheath or membrane covering of a
muscle fibriI (myofibril)

2. Sarcoplasm – semi-fluid ground

substance or matrix where myofibrils are
suspended
 Components of Sarcoplasm:
a. Fluid containing large quantities of K, Mg, PO4,
protein enzymes, mitochondria

b. Two sets of separate tubules that are functionally

related systems:

* Sarcoplasmic reticulum or ER of the muscle cell

– consists of longitudinal tubules that lie
parallel to the myofibrils

* T-tubule or transverse system – deep

invaginations or indentation of the sarcolemma
into the interior of the muscle fiber
 Chemical Composition of Muscle
Tissue:
• 75% - water

• 20% - protein (actin and myosin)

• 5% - made up of:
* carbohydrates – glycogen and glucose

* non-nitrogenous substances – ATP and posphocreatine

* inorganic salts

* lipids
 Parts of Skeletal Muscle:
1. Origin – end of muscle
is fixed to the
immovable or less
movablebone

2. Insertion – the end part

is attached to a
freely movable bone

3. Belly - portion of the

muscle between the
origin and the insertion
 How Skeletal Muscles Are Named
1. Location: some are named for the bone with
which they are associated
- between the ribs –
Location
• region of the arm – brachii
Location

- Infront and behind the tibia – tibialis

anterior, tibialis posterior
Location

- in the chest – pectoralis or pectus

2. Action:
- flexor- tend to draw one segment towards
another; decreases a joint angle – biceps brachii
Action: extensor – extends: tend to
straighten; increases a joint angle –
triceps brachii
Action: abductor – moves an
appendage away from the midline

Gluteus
Action: adductor – moves an
appendage toward the body/ midline –
adductor longus
Action:
- levator – pulls upward; raises a body
structure – levator scapulae
Action: depressor - lowers a body
structure – depressor labii inferioris
Action: pronators – make it prone
(turn it downward) – pronator teres
(hand)
Action: sphincter - make opening
smaller

orbicularis oculi
orbicularis oris
3. Division (no. of heads):
2 heads – biceps
(arm)

3 heads – triceps (back of arm)

4 heads – quadriceps
(thigh) – kicking,
jumping, running, walking
4. Point of attachment:
- coccygio-sacralis
Point of attachment
- zygomaticus (laughing muscle) -
elevates corners of the
mouth)
Point of attachment
• Temporalis - elevates and retracts the
mandible
Point of attachment

- nasalis - dilates nostrils which enable

flaring of nostrils
5. Direction of muscle fibers (orientation
of fibers):
- straight/parallel to the body or
limb - rectus abdominis (flexes vertebral
column)
Orientation of fibers

- across – transversus abdominis – “inner

abs” (compresses abdomen)
Orientation of fibers

- oblique (slant) – external oblique, internal

oblique ( compresses abdomen) –
located at the lateral side of the abdomen
Orientation/Direction of fibers
- lateral –vastus lateralis also called
vastus externus of quadriceps femoris
6. Shape:
- trapezoid – trapezius – a pair of
triangular muscles
extending over the
back of the neck and
shoulders and
moving the head
and shoulder blade
Shape
- triangular – deltoid
Shape
- rhomboid – rhomboideus (connects
scapula to the spinal column; elevates
and adducts scapula)
7. Size:
- large – maximus, magnus, major (Gluteus
maximus – buttock)
Size
- smaller – minimus
Size
- long – longus
Size

- longest - longissimus
 Size
- short – brevis (muscle of the hand, feet and leg)
Size
- slender – gracilis
(medial side of the thigh)
Size
- widest – latissimus dorsi
8. Relative position:

- lateral
- medial

- internal

- external
Major types of muscles based on
fiber arrangement (Muscle Architecture)
1. Parallel – long excursions, straplike
muscles
• contract over a great
distance and good
endurance
• not strong
- sartorius (thigh)
- rectus abdominis
2. Convergent – fan-shaped muscles

* fibers covers at the insertion

point to maximize contraction

- deltoid

- pectoralis major
3. Pennate - many fibers per area

* broad origin and insertion

* provide dexterity

* allow better stabilization and force

production but less flexibility

* very strong muscles

*generally tire quickly

 Kinds of pennate muscles:
a. Unipennate b. Bipennate
(extensor digitorum) (rectus femoris)

c. Multipennate
c. Multipennate
– deltoid muscle
(arm abduction)

- gastrocnemius

- latissimus dorsi
( swimming, punching)

- pectoralis (sternal head)

4. Sphincter – muscles that surround a
body opening, or orifice

* closes the opening

- orbicularis oculi

- orbicularis oris (kissing muscle)

- anus
Types of Muscle based on
Fiber Arrangement
Muscle actions - antagonistic
 Extensors –extend one part

 Flexors - bend one part of the skeleton

more than the other

 Adductors – draw an appendage toward

the midline of the body

 Abductors – move the appendage away

from the midline of the body
 Elevators – elevate a part

 Depressors – lower a part

 Rotators – move one part over another

* rotation of the head

* common movement of the ball and

socket joints
• Constrictors and Dilators or Sphincters

– circular muscles that close and

open circular orifices

Supinator – movement of the palm from a

posterior to an anterior anatomical position
(palm is facing upward)

* the radius and ulna are parallel

Pronator – the palm of the hand is in posterior

position or facing downward
Five Golden Rules of Skeletal Muscle
Activity:
1. All muscles cross at least one joint.

2. Typically, the bulk of the muscle lies proximal to the

joint crossed.

3. All muscles must have at least two attachments: the

origin and insertion.

4. Muscles can only pull, they never push.

5. During contraction, the muscle insertion moves

toward the origin.
The End
Kinds of Muscle Contraction:

1. Single twitch – when a muscle is

given a single stimulus
 Three phases of contraction:
A. Latent period – lasting about 0.01 second
- interval between the application of the stimulus
and the beginning of the visible shortening of the
muscle

B. Period of contraction – about 0.04 second in duration

- a period during which the muscle shortens and
does work

C. Period of relaxation – lasting about 0.05 second

- period during which the muscle returns to its
original shape
2. Tetanus
 The normal contractions of the muscles do
not occur as a single twitch but as a
sustained contractions evoked by a volley
of separate stimuli.

 The nerve impulse is called tetanus, and

while it prevails, the stimuli occur as rapidly
that relaxation cannot occur between
successive contractions.
3. Tonus or “tone”

 The state of sustained partial contractions

present in all normal skeletal muscle as long as
the nerves to the muscles are intact.

 Cardiac and smooth muscles exhibit tonus even

after their nerves are cut.

 Skeletal muscles – eliminate tonus immediately

when nerves are cut
 Properties of Contractile Fiber Types in Craniates

Twitch Tonic

Fast to slow contraction Slow contraction

Slow – mammalian postural muscles Postural muscles in amphians and reptiles

Fast – most locomotor muscles Extraocular and ear muscles of mammals

Innervation – a single axon Multiple axons

Action potential – all-or-none A temporal summation with a graded

contraction

Variably fatigues Can maintain tension efficiently

 Oral Reports
Muscular contraction (6 members)

Fatigue ( 6 members)
 Oral Reports (Circulatory System)
Topics:
1. Cardiac cycle – 7 members

2. Blood pressure – 7 members

3. Blood Clotting – 6 members

4. Cardiovascular diseases – 6 members

Muscles of the Cat
 Neck Muscles
1. Digastric

2. Mylohyoid
3. Geniohyoid

4. Sternohyoid

5. Sternomastoid
7. External jugular vein

6. Clavotrapezius
Ventral view of the cat chest muscles. 
 Trunk and Shoulder – Thoracic
(Superficial)
1. Pentoantebrachialis 5. Linea alba

3. Pectoralis minor
2. Pectoralis major
4. Xiphihumeralis

6. Epitrochlearis
10. Serratus
ventralis

11. Latissimus
dorsi

7. Triceps 8. Teres major 9. Subscapularis

Lateral view of the external cat neck and back muscles. 
 Trunk & Shoulder Muscles- Thoracic
(Deep)
1. Rectus thoracis
3a. Scalenus 2. Rectus
anterior abdominis
b. Scalenus
medius
c. Scalenus 4. Serratus
posterior ventralis

7. Coraco- 5. Subscapularis
brachialis

8. Latissimus
dorsi

6. Teres major
 Shoulder & Upper Back ( Superficial)
1. Latissiumus dorsi 2. Spinotrapezius 3. Acromiotrapezius

4. Clavotrapezius

5. Levator scapulae
ventralis

7. Acromiodeltoid

8. Clavodeltoid

6. Spinodeltoid
9. Triceps lateral
10. Triceps long head
head
 Shoulder & Upper back ( Deep )
9. Rhomboideus
1. Clavotrapezius capitis

10. Splenius
8. Clavodeltoid capitis

7. Acromiodeltoid 2. Acromiotrapezius

6. Triceps- 3. Supraspinatus
Lateral head
11. Rhomboideus minor
5. Triceps –
long head
13. Spinotrapezius
4. Infrasspinatus
12. Rhomboideus 14. Latissimus dorsi
major

15. Longissimus
Lateral view of the external cat neck and back muscles.
 Upper arm - Lateral
1. Acromiotrapezius 2. Levator scapulae ventralis

4. Triceps – lateral head

(reflected

8. Clavodeltoid
3. Teres major

5. Triceps – long head 7. Brachialis

6. Triceps – medial head

9. Aconeus
Ventral view of the cat front leg.
Lateral view of the cat front leg muscles. 
 Upper Arm - Medial
1. Clavodeltoid

3. Triceps-medial
2. Biceps brachii head

4. Epitrochlearis

5. Triceps-long
head
Ventral view – Cat front leg
Lateral view of the cat hind leg, bicep femoris
reflected. 
 Forearm – Lateral Aspect
2. Triceps-lateral
3. Bracialis
head

4. Brachioradialis

5. Extensor carpi radialis longus

6. Extensor carpi radialis brevis

1.Triceps-long
head

8. Extensor digitorum lateralis

10. Flexor carpi
ulnaris
11. Anconeus 7. Extensor digitorum
9. Extensor carpi ulnaris
communis
entral view of the cat hind leg. 
 Forearm – Medial Aspect
1. Brachioradialis 2. Extensor carpi radialis longus
3. Extensor carpi radialis brevis 4. Pronator teres
5. Flexor carpi radialis 6. Palmaris longus
7. Flexor carpi ulnaris 8. Clavodeltoid 9. Biceps brachii
10. pitrochlearis 11. Long head of triceps
12. Medial head of triceps 13. Flexor digitorum superficialis
Ventral view of the cat hind leg muscles, gracilis
Dorsal view of the superficial
musculature of cat hindlimb.
Dorsal view of the deep musculature of the cat
hindlimb. 
 Abdominal Muscles
1. Aponeurosis

2. Rectus abdominis

3. Transverse abdominis

4. External oblique

5. Internal oblique
 Lower Back Muscles
1. Multifidus

2. Erector spinae

3. External oblique

4. Latissimus dorsi

5. Spinotrapezius

6. Thoracolumbar
fascia
Upper Leg – Lateral & Superficial Aspects
1. Semitendinosus 4. Gluteus maximus
2. Biceps femoris 5. Gluteus medius
3. Caudofemoris 6. Tensor fascia lata 7. Sartorius
 Upper Leg (Lateral & Deep Aspects)
1. Biceps femoris (reflected) 2. Caudo femoralis (reflected)
3. Gluteus maximus (reflected) 4. Gluteus medius 5. Tensor fascia lata
6. Semitendinosus 7. Semimembranosus 8. Adductor femoris 9. Sciatic nerve
10. Vastus lateralis 11. Sartorius 12. Tibialis anterior
13. Extensor digitorum longus 14. Peroneus 15. Soleus 16. Gastrocnemius
17. Slippy’s tail
 Upper leg (Medial & Superficial)

1. Sartorius 2. Gracilis 3. Skippy’s tail

4. Semitendinosus 5. Gastrocnemius
6. Plantarius 7. Soleus
 Upper Leg (Medial & Deep)
1. Sartorius 2. Vastus lateralis 3. Rectus femoris
4. Vastus medialis 5. Iliopsoas 6. Pectineus
7. Adductor longus 8. Adductor femoris (2 heads)
9. Semimembranosus 10. Semitendinosus
11. Gastrocnemius
 Lower Leg (Lateral Aspect)

1. Tibialis anterior 7. Gastrocnemius

2. Extensor digitorum longus 8. Biceps femoris
3. Peroneus longus 9. Semitendinosus
4. Peroneus brevis 10. Semimembranosus
5. Peroneus tertius 11. Adductor femoris
6. Soleus 12. Vastus lateralis
 Lower Leg (Medial Aspect)
1. Gastrocnemius 2. Plantaris
3. Soleus 4. Flexor digitorum longus
5. Tibia (bone) 6. Tibialis anterior
7. Calcaneus tendon (Tendon of Achilles)
8. Lucky Kitty’s foot