Skeletal muscle

Skeletal Muscle

Skeletal muscle (/ˈskɛlɪtəl ˈmʌskəl/), also known as striated muscle, is a type of muscle tissue that is attached to the bones of the skeleton. This type of muscle creates movement in the body. There are about 700 named skeletal muscles in the human body, including the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and deltoid muscle.

Etymology

The term "skeletal muscle" is derived from the Greek word "skeletos" meaning "dried up", referring to the hard, bony structure of the skeleton to which these muscles are attached. The term "striated" comes from the Latin "stria" meaning "groove" or "channel", referring to the striped appearance of this type of muscle under a microscope.

Structure

Skeletal muscle is composed of individual muscle cells, also known as muscle fibers. These fibers are long, cylindrical cells that contain multiple nuclei. Each muscle fiber is made up of smaller units called myofibrils, which are composed of even smaller units called sarcomeres. The sarcomeres contain the contractile proteins actin and myosin, which are responsible for muscle contraction.

Function

The primary function of skeletal muscle is to generate force to produce movement. This is achieved through the process of muscle contraction, where the muscle fibers shorten to move the bones of the skeleton. Skeletal muscle also plays a role in maintaining posture and body position, and in generating heat to maintain body temperature.

Related Terms

Muscle tissue: The soft tissue that composes muscles in animal bodies, and gives rise to muscles' ability to contract.
Muscle contraction: The activation of tension-generating sites within muscle fibers.
Actin and Myosin: The two main protein filaments that work together in muscle contraction.
Myofibrils: Rod-like unit of a muscle fiber.
Sarcomeres: The basic unit of a muscle's cross-striated myofibril.