
Muscles are structured in a way that allows us to exert force and move our bodies. There are three types of muscles: striated (skeletal) muscles, smooth muscles, and heart muscles. Striated muscles make up a large part of our body weight and are connected to our bones by tendons. Skeletal muscles are made up of the muscle belly and the two ends of the muscle, and they are covered on the outside by connective tissue made of solid collagen fibres. Inside the muscle, each muscle fibre is encased by loose connective tissue, and several muscle fibres are grouped together by more rigid connective tissue into fascicles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of muscles | Striated (skeletal) muscles, smooth muscles, heart muscles |
| Function | Exert force, move body, maintain posture, protect organs, generate heat |
| Structure of skeletal muscles | Made up of muscle belly and two ends of muscle |
| Connective tissue | Loose connective tissue encases each muscle fibre; more rigid connective tissue groups fibres into fascicles |
| Muscle fascicles | Bundled together by connective tissue |
| Blood vessels and nerves | Run through connective tissue, providing stimulation and additional tension and stability |
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What You'll Learn
- Skeletal muscles are made up of the muscle belly and two ends of the muscle
- Skeletal muscles are connected to bones by tendons
- There are three types of muscles: striated, smooth, and heart muscles
- Muscle fibres are encased by loose connective tissue
- Blood vessels and nerves run through the connective tissue

Skeletal muscles are made up of the muscle belly and two ends of the muscle
Skeletal muscles are made up of lots of muscle fibres, which are covered on the outside by connective tissue made of solid collagen fibres, called the fascia. There is another layer of stabilising connective tissue below that. The connective tissue fibres turn into tendon-like material at each end of the muscle. Inside the muscle, every single muscle fibre is encased by loose connective tissue. More rigid connective tissue groups several muscle fibres together into fascicles. Lots of these muscle fascicles are then grouped together by connective tissue into bundles of muscle fascicles.
Blood vessels and nerves that supply and stimulate the muscles run all through the connective tissue. They provide additional tension and stability. The connective tissue allows different muscle fibre groups to shift against one another when we move. We move when our muscles alternately contract and relax. Muscles get shorter when they contract.
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Skeletal muscles are connected to bones by tendons
There are three types of muscles: striated (skeletal) muscles, smooth muscles, and heart muscles. Skeletal muscles are connected to bones by tendons. They are made up of the muscle belly and the two ends of the muscle. Skeletal muscles are made up of lots of muscle fibres, which are covered on the outside by connective tissue made of solid collagen fibres, the fascia. There is another layer of stabilising connective tissue below that. The connective tissue fibres turn into tendon-like material at each end of the muscle. Inside the muscle, every single muscle fibre is encased by loose connective tissue. More rigid connective tissue groups several muscle fibres together into fascicles. Lots of these muscle fascicles are then grouped together by connective tissue into bundles of muscle fascicles. Blood vessels and nerves that supply and stimulate the muscles run all through the connective tissue. They provide additional tension and stability. The connective tissue allows different muscle fibre groups to shift against one another when we move. We move when our muscles alternately contract and relax. Muscles get shorter when they contract.
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There are three types of muscles: striated, smooth, and heart muscles
Smooth muscles, meanwhile, are found in the walls of hollow organs such as the stomach, bladder, and blood vessels. They are not under conscious control and help the body perform essential functions such as digestion and blood pressure regulation.
Finally, heart muscles, also known as cardiac muscles, are found only in the heart. They are responsible for the rhythmic contractions that pump blood through the body. Like skeletal muscles, cardiac muscles are also made up of striated muscle fibres. However, they differ in that they are under involuntary control, meaning they contract and relax without conscious effort.
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Muscle fibres are encased by loose connective tissue
Skeletal muscles are made up of the muscle belly and the two ends of the muscle. The muscles are usually connected to the bones by tendons: They transfer the force of the muscle to the bone. Skeletal muscles are made up of lots of muscle fibres. They are covered on the outside by connective tissue made of solid collagen fibres, the fascia. There is another layer of stabilising connective tissue below that. The connective tissue fibres turn into tendon-like material at each end of the muscle. Inside the muscle, every single muscle fibre is encased by loose connective tissue. More rigid connective tissue groups several muscle fibres together into fascicles. Lots of these muscle fascicles are then grouped together by connective tissue into bundles of muscle fascicles. Blood vessels and nerves that supply and stimulate the muscles run all through the connective tissue. They provide additional tension and stability. The connective tissue allows different muscle fibre groups to shift against one another when we move.
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Blood vessels and nerves run through the connective tissue
Skeletal muscles are made up of the muscle belly and the two ends of the muscle. The muscles are usually connected to the bones by tendons, which transfer the force of the muscle to the bone. Skeletal muscles are made up of lots of muscle fibres, which are covered on the outside by connective tissue made of solid collagen fibres, known as fascia. There is another layer of stabilising connective tissue below this.
Inside the muscle, every single muscle fibre is encased by loose connective tissue. More rigid connective tissue groups several muscle fibres together into fascicles. Lots of these muscle fascicles are then grouped together by connective tissue into bundles of muscle fascicles. Blood vessels and nerves that supply and stimulate the muscles run through the connective tissue. They provide additional tension and stability. The connective tissue allows different muscle fibre groups to shift against one another when we move.
The connective tissue fibres turn into tendon-like material at each end of the muscle.
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Frequently asked questions
The three types of muscle are striated (skeletal) muscles, smooth muscles, and heart muscles.
Striated muscles are also known as skeletal muscles. They are connected to the bones by tendons and make up a large part of our body weight. Examples include the muscles in our arms and legs, as well as the muscles in the tongue, larynx, throat, and some facial muscles.
Skeletal muscles are made up of the muscle belly and the two ends of the muscle. They are composed of many muscle fibres, which are encased in loose connective tissue. More rigid connective tissue groups several muscle fibres together into fascicles, which are then bundled together by connective tissue. Blood vessels and nerves run through the connective tissue, providing additional tension and stability.











































