Presented By : Syeda Nida Fatima

Lecturer
UIPT,UOL
• The main objective of this lecture is to give students
complete introduction about skeletal muscles of the body.
• Explain different classification of skeletal muscles.
• To familiarize the students about functional properties of
skeletal muscles.
 Introduction of Skeletal Muscle
 Structure of Skeletal Muscle
 Classification of skeletal Muscle
 Humans rely on muscles for many of our physiological
processes, and virtually all our dynamic interactions with the
environment involve muscle tissue.
▪ There are three types of muscle tissue:
▪ Skeletal muscle—Skeletal muscle tissue moves the body by pulling
on bones of the skeleton.
▪ Cardiac muscle—Cardiac muscle tissue pushes blood through the
arteries and veins of the circulatory system.
▪ Smooth muscle—Smooth muscle tissues push fluids and solids
along the digestive tract and perform varied functions in other
systems.
▪ Muscle tissues share four basic properties:
▪ Excitability: the ability to respond to stimulation
▪ Skeletal muscles normally respond to stimulation by the nervous
 system.

▪ Cardiac and smooth muscles respond to the nervous system and circulating hormones.
▪ Contractility: the ability to shorten actively and exert a pull or tension that can be
joined by connective tissues
▪ Extensibility: the ability to continue to contract over a range of resting
lengths
▪ Elasticity: the ability of a muscle to rebound toward its original length after a
contraction
▪ Skeletal muscles are contractile organs directly or indirectly attached to
bones of the skeleton.
▪ Skeletal muscles perform the following functions:
▪ Produce skeletal movement
▪ Maintain posture and body position
▪ Support soft tissues
▪ Regulate entering and exiting of material
▪ Maintain body temperature
Structural Organization of Skeletal Muscle
Sarcomere

▪ Sarcomere Organization
▪ Thick and thin filaments within a myofibril are
organized in the sarcomeres.
▪ All of the myofibrils are arranged parallel to the
long axis of the cell, with their sarcomeres lying
side by side.
Changes in the Appearance of a Sarcomere during
Contraction of a Skeletal Muscle Fiber
Z disc H zone Z disc

Thin (actin) filament

Thick (myosin)
filament

(c) I band A band I band M line

Sarcomere
M line
Z disc Z disc
Thin (actin) filament

Elastic (titin)
filaments
Thick (myosin)
filament
(d)

I band H zone M line Outer edge of

thin filaments thick filaments thick filaments linked A band
(e) only only by accessory proteins thick and thin
filaments overlap
It is composed of many myosin
molecules.
◦ Each myosin molecule has a tail region
and 2 globular heads (cross-bridges).
Because myosin are the thick filament.
Muscular contraction is caused by the
interaction between actin and myosin as
they temporarily bind to each other and
are released.
 Composed of actin protein.
◦ 2 strands of globular actin molecules
twisted into a helix. Actin filaments have
binding sites for myosin cross bridges.
Tropomyosin: protein spirals around actin
helix. Troponin: protein (3 subunits) is
attached to actin and holds trop-o-myosin in
place. Call this the troponin-tropomyosin
complex.
Troponin complex Tropomyosin Actin
 Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR): – a type of ER.
Surrounds each myofibril, running parallel to it, stores
calcium, when stimulated, calcium diffuses into
sarcoplasm. The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is a
membrane-bound structure found within muscle cells that
is similar to the endoplasmic reticulum in other cells. The
main function of the SR is to store calcium ions (Ca2+).
Transverse Tubules (TT):

Extends into sarcoplasm as invaginations

continuous with sarcolemma.
T tubules run between cisternae of SR

Filled with extracellular fluid.

Cisternae of SR and TT form a triad near

where thick and thin filaments overlap.
I band A band I band

Z disc H zone Z disc

M
Part of a skeletal line
muscle fiber (cell)
Sarcolemma

Triad

Mitochondrion

Myofibrils
Myofibril
Tubules of
sarcoplasmic
reticulum
Sarcolemma
Terminal cisterna
of the sarcoplasmic
reticulum
T tubule
Myosin head ADP
(high-energy Pi
configuration)

1 Myosin head attaches to the actin

myofilament, forming a cross bridge.
Thin filament

ADP Thick filament ADP

ATP
hydrolysis Pi

4 As ATP is split into ADP and Pi, the myosin 2 Inorganic phosphate (Pi) generated in the previous
head is energized (cocked into the high-energy contraction cycle is released, initiating
conformation). the power (working) stroke. The myosin head
pivots and bends as it pulls on the actin filament,
sliding it toward the M line. Then ADP is released.

ATP
Myosin head
ATP (low-energy
configuration)

3 As new ATP attaches to the myosin head, the link between

Myosin and actin weakens, and the cross bridge detaches.
 Classification of skeletal muscle are:

1) On the basis of color (Myoglobin content)

2) On the basis of type of muscle fiber
3) On the basis of muscle action or function
4) On the basis of architecture or arrangement of muscle fibers
Red Skeletal Muscle: White skeletal Muscle

 They contain high quantity of red type  They contain large quantity of white
muscle cells. muscle cell.
 They have rich quantity of myoglobin.  They have less quantity of myoglobin.
 This type of skeletal muscle show slow  They show rapid and un-sustained
and sustained contraction. contractions.
 They have low circularity as compared
 They have high circularity.
to red skeleton muscle
 Example:  Example:
Soleus muscle Gastrocnemius muscle.
Type I (Slow twitch) muscle fibers: Type II (Fast twitch) muscle fibers:

 Type I fibers characterized as muscles  Type II fibers which are characterized

with long contraction duration, by fast muscle contractions of short
associated with endurance. duration.
 They are as known as white skeletal  They are also known as red skeletal
muscle. muscle.
 Example:  Example:
Muscle used in marathon race Muscle used in 100 meter race.
 On the basis of muscle action skeletal muscles are classified as:

I. Agonist
II. Antagonist
III. Fixators
IV. Synergist
 AGONIST:
The muscle which is constantly contracting during a movement is known
as Agonist or prime mover.
EXAMPLE:
Bicep is a prime mover during elbow flexion.
 Antagonist:
The muscle opposite to agonist or the muscle which is lengthened during
a movement.
EXAMPLE:
Tricep muscle is antagonist during elbow flexion.
 FIXATORS:
Muscle which fix a joint during a movement is known as fixators.
EXAMPLE:
Rotator cuff fixate a shoulder joint during shoulder movement.
 Synergist:
A helping muscle during a movement is known as synergist
EXAMPLE:
Rotator cuff muscle can participate in movement around a shoulder
joint as well.
 On the basis of architecture skeletal muscles are classified as:
1. Parallelly arranged muscle fiber
2. Obliquely arranged muscle fiber
It can be further divide into three types
a) Quadrilateral muscle fiber
b) Fusiform or spindle shape muscle fiber
c) Strap or ribbon like muscle fiber
 A type of skeletal muscle in which Muscle cells arranged parallelly and
represent a quadrangle shape

EXAMPLE:
HYOGLOSSUS Muscle
 A type of skeletal muscles in which Muscle cells arranged parallelly and
represent a spindle shape muscle mass ( appearance )

EXAMPLE:
Bicep brachii
 A type of skeletal muscle in which Muscle cells arranged parallelly and
represent a ribbon or strap like appearance

 EXAMPLE:
Sartorius
 It is further classified as:

a) Pennate muscle
b) Fan shape muscle
c) Spiral muscle
d) Circular muscle
e) Cylindrical muscle
f) Triangular muscle
g) Cruciate muscle
 UNIPENNATE:
In unipennate muscle cell arranged obliquely and give a half feather like appearance
EXAMPLE: Tibialis posteior
 BIPANNATE:

In bipennate muscle cell arranged obliquely and give complete feather like
appearance.
EXAMPLE: Rectus femoris
 MULTIPENNATE:

Bipennate muscle fiber attached side by side in multipennate muscle.

EXAMPLE: Deltoid muscle
 In this type of skeletal muscle there is a central tendon over which muscle
fascicle converging from all side and represent a shape of foreign fan.

EXAMPLE:
Temporalis Muscle
 In this type of skeletal muscle the muscle fascicle gives triangular shape
appearance.

EXAMPLE:
Pectoralis Major
 In this type of skeletal muscle the muscle fibers arranged and give a round
circular appearance

EXAMPLE:
Orbicularis Oris
Orbicularis occulus
 In this type of skeletal muscle the muscle fascicle are spirally arranged

EXAPMPLE:
Trapezius Muscle
 In this type of skeletal muscle the muscle fascicle arranged in a cylindrical
form.

EXAMPLE:
Tibialis Anterior
 In this type of skeletal muscle the muscle fascicle gives criss-cross
arrangement.

EXAMPLE:
Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
• A Textbook of General Anatomy by Ghulam Ahmed.
• A Textbook of General Anatomy by Laiq Hussain
• A Textbook of (Atlas of Human Anatomy) 5th Edition by Frank H. Netter, MD.
• Textbook of (Clinical Anatomy by Regions 9th Edition) Richard Snell, MD, PhD.