MBC 415
MUSCLE STRUCTURE
A muscle is a group of tissues consisting of long cells that can contract together to produce a
force. Muscles are soft tissues. Many stretchy fibers make up your muscles. You have more
than 600 muscles in your body. A muscle uses ATP to contract and shorten, producing a
force on the objects it is connected to. There are several types of muscle, which act on
various parts of the body.
Structure of Muscle
A muscle consists of many tissues bundled together and surrounded by epimysium, a tough
connective tissue similar to cartilage. The epimysium surrounds bundles of nerve cells that
run in long fibers, called fascicles. These fascicles are surrounded by their own protective
layer, the perimysium. This layer allows nerves and blood to flow to the individual fibers.
Each fiber is then wrapped in an endomysium, another protective layer. As seen in the image
below, a muscle is arranged in a basic pattern of bundled fibers separated by protective
layers.
, These layers and bundles allow different parts of a muscle to contract differently. The
protective layer surrounding each bundle allows the different bundles to slide past one
another as they contract. The epimysium connects to tendons, which attach to the periosteum
connective tissue that surrounds bones. Being anchored to two bones allows movement of the
skeleton when the muscle contracts. A different type of muscle surrounds many organs, and
the epimysium connects to other connective tissues to produces forces on the organs,
controlling everything from circulation to food processing.
Function of Muscle
MUSCLE STRUCTURE
A muscle is a group of tissues consisting of long cells that can contract together to produce a
force. Muscles are soft tissues. Many stretchy fibers make up your muscles. You have more
than 600 muscles in your body. A muscle uses ATP to contract and shorten, producing a
force on the objects it is connected to. There are several types of muscle, which act on
various parts of the body.
Structure of Muscle
A muscle consists of many tissues bundled together and surrounded by epimysium, a tough
connective tissue similar to cartilage. The epimysium surrounds bundles of nerve cells that
run in long fibers, called fascicles. These fascicles are surrounded by their own protective
layer, the perimysium. This layer allows nerves and blood to flow to the individual fibers.
Each fiber is then wrapped in an endomysium, another protective layer. As seen in the image
below, a muscle is arranged in a basic pattern of bundled fibers separated by protective
layers.
, These layers and bundles allow different parts of a muscle to contract differently. The
protective layer surrounding each bundle allows the different bundles to slide past one
another as they contract. The epimysium connects to tendons, which attach to the periosteum
connective tissue that surrounds bones. Being anchored to two bones allows movement of the
skeleton when the muscle contracts. A different type of muscle surrounds many organs, and
the epimysium connects to other connective tissues to produces forces on the organs,
controlling everything from circulation to food processing.
Function of Muscle
