Structure and Function of
Skeletal Muscle
Skeletal Muscle
Human body contains over 400
skeletal muscles
40-50% of total body weight
Functions of skeletal muscle
Force production for locomotion and
breathing
Force production for postural support
Heat production during cold stress
Muscle:
Connective Tissue
Covering
Epimysium
Surrounds entire muscle
Perimysium
Surrounds bundles of muscle fibers
Fascicles
Endomysium
Surrounds individual muscle fibers
Structure of Skeletal
Muscle:
Microstructure
Sarcolemma
Muscle cell membrane
Myofibrils
Threadlike strands within muscle fibers
Actin (thin filament)
Troponin
Tropomyosin
Myosin (thick filament)
Structure of Skeletal
Muscle:
The Sarcomere
Further divisions of myofibrils
Z-line
A-band
I-band
Within the sarcoplasm
Sarcoplasmic reticulum
Storage sites for calcium
Transverse tubules
Terminal cisternae
The Neuromuscular
Junction
Site where motor neuron meets the
muscle fiber
Separated by gap called the neuromuscular
cleft
Motor end plate
Pocket formed around motor neuron by
sarcolemma
Acetylcholine is released from the motor
neuron
Causes an end-plate potential (EPP)
Depolarization of muscle fiber
Illustration of the
Neuromuscular Junction
Motor Unit
Single motorneuron & muscle
fibers it innervates
Eye muscles – 1:1 muscle/nerve
ratio
Hamstrings – 300:1 muscle/nerve
ratio
Muscular Contraction
The sliding filament model
Muscle shortening occurs due to the
movement of the actin filament over
the myosin filament
Formation of cross-bridges between
actin and myosin filaments
Reduction in the distance between Z-
lines of the sarcomere
The Sliding Filament Model
of Muscle Contraction
Cross-Bridge Formation in
Muscle Contraction
Sliding Filament Theory
Rest – uncharged ATP cross-bridge
complex
Excitation-coupling – charged ATP cross-
bridge complex, “turned on”
Contraction – actomyosin – ATP > ADP &
Pi + energy
Recharging – reload cross-bridge with
ATP
Relaxation – cross-bridges “turned off”
Muscle Function
All or none law – fiber contracts
completely or not at all
Muscle strength gradation
Multiple motor unit summation – more
motor units per unit of time
Wave summation – vary frequency of
contraction of individual motor units
Energy for Muscle
Contraction
ATP is required for muscle
contraction
Myosin ATPase breaks down ATP as
fiber contracts
Sources of ATP
Phosphocreatine (PC)
Glycolysis
Oxidative phosphorylation
Sources of ATP for Muscle
Contraction
Properties of Muscle Fibers
Biochemical properties
Oxidative capacity
Type of ATPase
Contractile properties
Maximal force production
Speed of contraction
Muscle fiber efficiency
Individual Fiber Types
Fast fibers Slow fibers
Type IIb fibers Type I fibers
Fast-twitch fibers Slow-twitch fibers
Fast-glycolytic Slow-oxidative
fibers fibers
Type IIa fibers
Intermediate fibers
Fast-oxidative
glycolytic fibers
Comparison of Maximal
Shortening Velocities
Between Fiber Types
Histochemical Staining of
Fiber Type
Fiber Types and
Performance
Power athletes
Sprinters
Possess high percentage of fast fibers
Endurance athletes
Distance runners
Have high percentage of slow fibers
Others
Weight lifters and nonathletes
Have about 50% slow and 50% fast fibers
Alteration of Fiber Type by
Training
Endurance and resistance training
Cannot change fast fibers to slow
fibers
Can result in shift from Type IIb to IIa
fibers
Toward more oxidative properties
Training-Induced Changes
in Muscle Fiber Type
Hypertrophy and
Hyperplasia
Increase in size Increase in
number
Age-Related Changes in
Skeletal Muscle
Aging is associated with a loss of
muscle mass
Rate increases after 50 years of age
Regular exercise training can
improve strength and endurance
Cannot completely eliminate the age-
related loss in muscle mass
Types of Muscle
Contraction
Isometric
Muscle exerts force without changing length
Pulling against immovable object
Postural muscles
Isotonic (dynamic)
Concentric
Muscle shortens during force production
Eccentric
Muscle produces force but length increases
Isotonic and Isometric
Contractions
Illustration of a Simple
Twitch
Force Regulation in Muscle
Types and number of motor units recruited
More motor units = greater force
Fast motor units = greater force
Initial muscle length
“Ideal” length for force generation
Nature of the motor units neural
stimulation
Frequency of stimulation
Simple twitch, summation, and tetanus
Relationship Between
Stimulus Frequency and
Force Generation
Length-Tension
Relationship in Skeletal
Muscle
Simple Twitch,
Summation, and Tetanus
Force-Velocity
Relationship
At any absolute force the speed of
movement is greater in muscle with
higher percent of fast-twitch fibers
The maximum velocity of shortening
is greatest at the lowest force
True for both slow and fast-twitch fibers
Force-Velocity
Relationship
Force-Power Relationship
At any given velocity of movement
the power generated is greater in a
muscle with a higher percent of
fast-twitch fibers
The peak power increases with
velocity up to movement speed of
200-300 degrees•second-1
Force decreases with increasing
movement speed beyond this velocity
Force-Power Relationship
Receptors in Muscle
Muscle spindle
Detect dynamic and static changes in
muscle length
Stretch reflex
Stretch on muscle causes reflex contraction
Golgi tendon organ (GTO)
Monitor tension developed in muscle
Prevents damage during excessive force
generation
Stimulation results in reflex relaxation of muscle
Muscle Spindle
Golgi Tendon Organ
