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Muscles are made up of thousands of elastic fibres bundled tightly together. Each bundle is wrapped in a thin membrane called a perimysium. There are about 600 muscles in the human body, and they have a range of functions, from pumping blood and supporting movement to lifting heavy weights or giving birth. Smooth muscle makes up the inside of organs such as the bladder, stomach and intestines, while skeletal muscles connect with bones, tendons and ligaments to support movement of the body. Cardiac muscle makes up the walls of the heart, powering contraction and relaxation to enable circulation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Composition | Thousands of elastic fibres bundled tightly together |
| Structure | Each bundle is wrapped in a thin transparent membrane called a perimysium |
| Individual muscle fibre composition | Blocks of proteins called myofibrils |
| Myofibrils composition | Contain a specialised protein (myoglobin) and molecules to provide the oxygen and energy required for muscle contraction |
| Myofibrils structure | Contain filaments that fold together when given the signal to contract |
| Function | Contraction and relaxation to cause movement |
| Types | Smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle |
| Smooth muscle composition | Thick (myosin) and thin (actin) filaments |
| Smooth muscle function | Contraction of the cell |
| Smooth muscle location | Inside of organs such as the bladder, stomach and intestines |
| Cardiac muscle function | Makes up the walls of the heart, powering contraction and relaxation to enable circulation |
| Cardiac muscle composition | Made of single cells — each with a single nucleus |
| Cardiac muscle structure | The myofibrils of each cell are branched and interlock with those of adjacent fibres by adherens junctions |
| Skeletal muscle function | Connect with bones, tendons and ligaments to support movement of the body |
| Fuel | Glucose from carbohydrates in our diet |
| Other requirements | Particular minerals, electrolytes and other dietary substances such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium |
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What You'll Learn
Muscles are made of thousands of elastic fibres bundled together
The brain, nerves and skeletal muscles work together to cause movement. Skeletal muscles connect with bones, tendons and ligaments to support movement of the body. Smooth muscle makes up the inside of organs such as the bladder, stomach and intestines and plays an important role in involuntary functions such as the digestive and urinary systems. Smooth muscle is made of single, spindle-shaped cells. Each smooth muscle cell contains thick (myosin) and thin (actin) filaments that slide against each other to produce contraction of the cell. Cardiac muscle makes up the walls of the heart, powering contraction and relaxation to enable circulation.
Muscles have a range of functions from pumping blood and supporting movement to lifting heavy weights or giving birth. To work properly, muscle tissue needs particular minerals, electrolytes and other dietary substances such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Glucose from carbohydrates in our diet fuels our muscles.
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Each bundle is wrapped in a thin membrane called a perimysium
A muscle is made up of thousands of elastic fibres bundled tightly together. Each bundle is wrapped in a thin, transparent membrane called a perimysium. An individual muscle fibre is made up of blocks of proteins called myofibrils, which contain a specialised protein (myoglobin) and molecules to provide the oxygen and energy required for muscle contraction. Each myofibril contains filaments that fold together when given the signal to contract. This shortens the length of the muscle fibre, which, in turn, shortens the entire muscle if enough fibres are stimulated at the same time.
The brain, nerves and skeletal muscles work together to cause movement. Skeletal muscles connect with bones, tendons and ligaments to support movement of the body. Smooth muscle makes up the inside of organs such as the bladder, stomach and intestines and plays an important role in involuntary functions such as the digestive and urinary systems.
Cardiac muscle makes up the walls of the heart, powering contraction and relaxation to enable circulation. Cardiac muscle is made of single cells, each with a single nucleus. Each smooth muscle cell contains thick (myosin) and thin (actin) filaments that slide against each other to produce contraction of the cell. The thick and thin filaments are anchored near the plasma membrane (with the help of intermediate filaments).
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Each muscle fibre is made up of blocks of proteins called myofibrils
Muscles are made up of thousands of elastic fibres bundled tightly together. Each bundle is wrapped in a thin transparent membrane called a perimysium. An individual muscle fibre is made up of blocks of proteins called myofibrils, which contain a specialised protein (myoglobin) and molecules to provide the oxygen and energy required for muscle contraction. Each myofibril contains filaments that fold together when given the signal to contract. This shortens the length of the muscle fibre, which, in turn, shortens the entire muscle if enough fibres are stimulated at the same time.
Myofibrils are the building blocks of muscle fibres and contain the proteins myosin and actin, which form thick and thin filaments, respectively. These filaments slide against each other to produce muscle contraction. In the case of cardiac muscle, the myofibrils of each cell are branched and interlock with those of adjacent fibres by adherens junctions. These strong junctions enable the heart to contract forcefully without ripping the fibres apart.
The brain, nerves and skeletal muscles work together to cause movement. Skeletal muscles connect with bones, tendons and ligaments to support movement of the body. Smooth muscle, on the other hand, makes up the inside of organs such as the bladder, stomach and intestines and plays an important role in involuntary functions such as the digestive and urinary systems.
To work properly, muscle tissue needs particular minerals, electrolytes and other dietary substances such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Glucose from carbohydrates in our diet also fuels our muscles.
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Smooth muscle is made of single, spindle-shaped cells
A muscle is made up of thousands of elastic fibres bundled tightly together. Each bundle is wrapped in a thin, transparent membrane called a perimysium. An individual muscle fibre is made up of blocks of proteins called myofibrils, which contain a specialised protein (myoglobin) and molecules to provide the oxygen and energy required for muscle contraction.
Smooth muscle makes up the inside of organs such as the bladder, stomach and intestines and plays an important role in involuntary functions such as the digestive and urinary systems. Cardiac muscle, which makes up the walls of the heart, is also made of single cells.
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Cardiac muscle makes up the walls of the heart
The myofibrils of each cell are branched. The branches interlock with those of adjacent fibres by adherens junctions. These strong junctions enable the heart to contract forcefully without ripping the fibres apart. Cardiac muscle (like smooth muscle) does not depend on motor neurons to be stimulated. However, motor neurons (of the autonomic system) reach smooth muscle and can stimulate it or relax it depending on the neurotransmitter they release (e.g. noradrenaline or nitric oxide, NO).
The heart is just one of the 600 muscles in the human body. Muscles have a range of functions from pumping blood and supporting movement to lifting heavy weights or giving birth. Muscles work by either contracting or relaxing to cause movement. This movement may be voluntary (meaning the movement is made consciously) or done without our conscious awareness (involuntary). Glucose from carbohydrates in our diet fuels our muscles. To work properly, muscle tissue also needs particular minerals, electrolytes and other dietary substances such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscles are made up of thousands of elastic fibres bundled tightly together. Each bundle is wrapped in a thin transparent membrane called a perimysium. An individual muscle fibre is made up of blocks of proteins called myofibrils, which contain a specialised protein (myoglobin) and molecules to provide the oxygen and energy required for muscle contraction.
There are three types of muscle: smooth muscle, skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle. Smooth muscle makes up the inside of organs such as the bladder, stomach and intestines and plays an important role in involuntary functions such as the digestive and urinary systems. Skeletal muscles connect with bones, tendons and ligaments to support movement of the body. Cardiac muscle makes up the walls of the heart, powering contraction and relaxation to enable circulation.
Glucose from carbohydrates in our diet fuels our muscles. To work properly, muscle tissue also needs particular minerals, electrolytes and other dietary substances such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium.
