MUSCULAR SYSTEM

DR. DEEPANSHU SHUKLA

- Assistant Professor
 INTRODUCTION

 Muscles (L. Mus = mouse) are so named

because, many of them resemble a
mouse, with their tendons representing
the tail.
 Derived from mesodermal layer of
embryonic germ cells.
 40% of body weight is due to muscles.
 It is a contractile tissue which bring
about the movements of organs and
body as whole hence they are regarded
as the “motors of the body”.
BASIC PROPERTIES OF MUSCLES

1. Irritability: sensitive to stimuli.

2. Contractility: when stimulated, muscle contracts lengthwise
leading to its shortening.
3. Extensibility: once the stimulus is removed, the muscle fibers
return to their original length.
4. Elasticity: muscle assumes a desired shape regardless of how
it might be stretched.
 TYPES OF MUSCLES
 On the basis of morphology and function:
1. Skeletal muscles (voluntary)
2. Smooth muscles (involuntary)
3. Cardiac muscles (involuntary)
SKELETAL MUSCLES

Synonyms
1. Striped muscles
2. Striated muscles
3. Somatic muscles
4. Voluntary muscles
 PARTS OF A SKELETAL MUSCLE

A. Two ends
1. Origin is one end of the muscle which
remains fixed during its contraction.
2. Insertion is the other end which moves
during its contraction. In the limb muscles,
the origin is usually proximal to insertion.
B. Two parts
3. Fleshy part is contractile, and is called the
'belly'.
4. Fibrous part is noncontractile and inelastic.
When cord-like or rope-like, it is called
tendon; when flattened, it is called
aponeurosis.
 MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF STRIATED
MUSCLE

It is made up of:
A. Supporting tissue
B. Muscle fibers
 MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF STRIATED
MUSCLE
A. Supporting tissue
 MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF STRIATED
MUSCLE
B. Muscle Fibers
 Each muscle fiber (myocyte) is
multinucleated, cross-striated and
cylindrical.
 Nuclei are oval and located at the
periphery of the fiber.
 The cytoplasm of muscle fiber is called
sarcoplasm.
 MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF STRIATED
MUSCLE
B. Muscle Fibers
 The sarcoplasm contains longitudinally
oriented bundles of myofibrils, which are
made up of contractile proteinaceous
filaments called myofilaments.
 The myofilaments are of two types: thin
and thick.
 The regular arrangement of myofilaments
within the muscle fiber gives it a
characteristic cross-striated appearance.
 MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF STRIATED
MUSCLE
B. Muscle Fibers
 The cross-striated appearance is shows alternating dark
and light bands.
 Dark bands are called A bands and the lighter bands the I
bands.
 The middle of A band is less dense called H band which is
dissected by thin dark line called M line.
 The I bands are dissected by a thin line called Z line.
 The region of thick and thin myofilaments between the
two Z lines is called sarcomere. It is the contractile unit of
the myofibril.
 The myofilaments consist of proteins called myosin and
actin.
 Actin and myosin are the contractile unit of muscle.
TYPES OF SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS

1. Red ( type I) fibers:

 They are slow twitch fibers, i.e. their speed of contraction is
slow but more sustained.
 Because of a well-developed aerobic metabolism, slow fibres
are highly resistant to fatigue.
 They are fatigue resistance and hence largely present in postural
muscles, long muscles of the back.
 These are red in colour because of large amounts of myoglobin.
 The fibres are rich in mitochondria.
TYPES OF SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS

2. White ( type II) fibers:

 They are fast twitch fibers, i.e. their speed of contraction is sfast
but less sustained.
 Because of a glycolytic respiration, the fast fibers are quite
easily fatigued.
 They are easily fatigued and hence largely present in extraocular
muscles of the eyeball.
 These are paler (white) in colour because of small amounts of
myoglobin.
 The fibres are poor in mitochondria.
 Fascicular Architecture of Muscles

The muscles can be classified according to

the arrangement of their fasciculi into the
following groups:
A. Parallel Fasciculi
When the fasciculi are parallel to the line of
pull, the muscle may be :
1. Quadrilateral (thyrohyoid),
2. Strap-like (sternohyoid and sartorius).
3. Strap-like with tendinous intersections
(rectus abdominis).
4. Fusiform (biceps brachii, digastric, etc.).
Fascicular Architecture of Muscles

B. Convergent fasciculi:
 The fibers are converge at the
insertion point to maximize
contraction.
 This arrangement makes the muscle
very powerful. E.g.
1. Fan- shaped- Temporalis
2. Triangular- adductor longus
 Fascicular Architecture of Muscles

C. Spiral or twisted fasciculi:

 The fibers are twisted, e.g.
trapezius, latissimus dorsi,
pectoralis major.

D. Cruciate muscle:
 The fibers are crossed ‘X’, e.g.
sternocleidomastoid, masseter.
 Fascicular Architecture of Muscles

E. Pennate fasciculi:
 It resemble the feather,
hence the name pennate.
 Fibers correspond to bars
of the feather and the
tendon to the shaft.
 Fascicular Architecture of Muscles

E. Pennate fasciculi:
 They may be:
i. Unipennate: e.g.
extensor digitorum
longus, flexor pollicis
longus.
ii. Bipennate: e.g.
dorsal interossei,
flexor hallucis longus.
 Fascicular Architecture of Muscles

E. Pennate fasciculi:
iii. Multipennate: e.g.
deltoid

iv. Circumpennate : e.g.

tibialis anterior
NOMENCLATURE OF MUSCLES

The muscles are named according to their :

a. Location
b. Shape
c. Action
d. Number of heads
e. Attachments (origin & insertion)
f. Direction of fibers
g. Size of muscles
NOMENCLATURE OF MUSCLES
NOMENCLATURE OF MUSCLES
 NERVE SUPPLY OF SKELETAL MUSCLE
1. Motor fibres (60%) comprise:
(a) Large myelinated alpha efferents
which supply extrafusal muscle
fibres.
(b) Smaller myelinated gamma
efferents which supply intrafusal
fibres of the muscle spindles which
control muscle contraction.
(c) The fine non-myelinated autonomic
efferents which supply smooth
muscle fibres of the blood vessels.
2. Sensory fibres (40%) comprise:
Myelinated fibres distributed to
muscle spindles for proprioception,
also to tendons.
 ACTIONS OF MUSCLES
Each movement at a joint is brought about by a coordinated
activity of different groups of muscles. These muscle groups
are classified and named according to their function.
(a) Prime movers (agonists) bring about the desired
movement. When a prime mover helps opposite action by
active controlled lengthening against gravity, it is known as
action of paradox. For example, putting a glass back on the
table is assisted by gravity but controlled by a gradual active
lengthening of biceps (paradoxical or eccentric action).
(b) Antagonists (opponents) oppose the prime movers. They
help the prime movers by active controlled relaxation, so
that the desired movement is smooth and precise. Thus, the
antagonists cooperate rather than oppose the prime
movers. This is due to reciprocal innervation of the opposite
groups of muscles, regulated by the spinal cord through
stretch reflex.
ACTIONS OF MUSCLES

(b) Fixators are the groups of muscles which stabilize the

proximal joints of a limb, so that the desired movement at the
distal joint may occur on a fixed base. Muscles acting on
shoulder joint fix it for better movement of fingers.
(c) Synergists: When the prime movers cross more than one
joint, the undesired actions at the proximal joints are
prevented by certain muscles known as synergists. For
example, during making a tight fist by long digital flexors the
wrist is kept fixed in extension by the synergists (extensors of
wrist). Thus, the synergists are special fixators and partial
antagonists to the prime movers.
Thank You