skeletal muscle locomotion and movement myofibrils epimysium sarcoplasmic reticulum

Skeletal muscle is one of three major muscle types, the others being cardiac muscleand smooth muscle. It is a form of striated muscle tissue, which is under the voluntary control of the somatic nervous system.[1]Most skeletal muscles are attached to bonesby bundles of collagen fibers known as tendons.

A skeletal muscle refers to multiple bundles (fascicles) of cells joined together called muscle fibers. The fibers and muscles are surrounded by connective tissue layers called fasciae. Muscle fibers, or muscle cells, are formed from the fusion of developmental myoblasts in a process known as myogenesis. Muscle fibers are cylindrical and have more than one nucleus. They also have multiple mitochondria to meet energy needs.

Muscle fibers are in turn composed of myofibrils. The myofibrils are composed of actin and myosin filaments, repeated in units called sarcomeres, which are the basic functional units of the muscle fiber. The sarcomere is responsible for the striated appearance of skeletal muscle and forms the basic machinery necessary for muscle contraction.

Contents

1Skeletal muscles

1.1Muscle fibers

1.2Arrangement of muscle fibers

1.3Types of muscle by action

2Function

2.1Cellular physiology and contraction

2.2Physics

2.3Signal transduction pathways

3Clinical significance

3.1Research

4See also

5References

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