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
Function of Muscles
Produce skeletal movement
Maintain body posture and position
Stabilize joints
Support soft tissues
Maintain body temperature (generate
heat)
Characteristics of Muscles
Muscle cells are elongated
(muscle cell = muscle fiber)
Contraction of muscles is due to the
movement of myofilaments
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
Connective Tissue Wrappings of
Skeletal Muscle
Fascia – on the
outside of the
epimysium
Epimysium –
covers the
entire skeletal
muscle
Connective Tissue Wrappings of
Skeletal Muscle
Perimysium –
around a
fascicle
(bundle) of
fibers
Connective Tissue Wrappings of
Skeletal Muscle
Endomysium –
around single
muscle fiber
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 control
Found only in the
heart
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Cells are multinucleate
Nuclei are just beneath the sarcolemma
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Sarcolemma – specialized plasma
membrane
Sarcoplasmic reticulum – specialized
smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Myofibril
Bundles of myofilaments
Myofibrils are aligned to give distrinct bands
I band =
lIght band
A band =
dArk band
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal
Muscle
Sarcomere
Contractile unit of a muscle fiber
Organization of a Sarcomere
D ARK BANDS = Anisotropic (A – bands)
Thick filaments = myosin filaments
Composed of the protein myosin
Has ATPase enzymes
Organization of a Sarcomere
M line – central portion connected to
neighbors by proteins that help stabilize
their position
H Zone – lighter region, containing only
thick filaments
Organization of a Sarcomere
Zone of Overlap – with thin filaments
between thick filaments
Organization of a Sarcomere
I
L GHT BANDS = Isotropic (I – Bands)
From A-bands to A-bands; thin filaments ONLY
Thin filaments = actin filaments
Composed of the protein “acTHIN”
Organization of a Sarcomere
Z-Line (Z-disc)
– marks the boundary between adjacent
sarcomeres
– contains ACTININ that interconnect thin
filaments of adjacent sarcomeres
Organization of a Sarcomere
TITIN – extend from tips of thick filaments to
attachement sites at Z line; keeps thick and thin
filaments in alignment
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
The Sliding Filament Theory of
Muscle Contraction
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)
During Muscle Contraction…
H-zone and I bands
get SMALLER
Zones of Overlap
gets LARGER
Z lines move closer
Width of A band
remains constant
The Sliding Filament Theory
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
Figure 6.9a, b
Types of Graded Responses
Fused (complete) tetanus
No evidence of relaxation before the
following contractions
The result is a sustained muscle contraction
Figure 6.9a, b
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
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
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
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 and Body Movements
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
Extension
Rotation
Abduction
Circumduction
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 muscles 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
Trunk Muscles
Trunk Muscles
Deep Trunk and Arm Muscles
Deep Trunk and Arm Muscles
Muscles
of the
Pelvis,
Hip, and
Thigh
Muscles
of the
Lower
Leg
Superficial
Muscles:
Anterior
Superficial
Muscles:
Posterior
