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Unit 4
The Muscular System
Assignment 4.1 Application: Based from your reading and self – understanding, answer the
following items correctly. Please specify your references completely.
1. Identify five general functions of the muscular system. Explain these functions and give
examples each.
a. Producing motions
Skeletal muscles are responsible for all locomotion and manipulation. They enable you to
respond quickly to jump out of the way of a car, direct your eyes, and smile or frown. Blood
courses through your body because of the rhythmically beating cardiac muscle of your heart and
the smooth muscle in the walls of your blood vessels, which helps maintain blood pressure.
Smooth muscle in organs of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts propels substances
(foodstuffs, urine, semen) through the organs and along the tract.
Movements of the whole body such as walking and running, and localized movements such as
grasping a pencil, keyboarding, or nodding the head rely on the integrated functioning of skeletal
muscles, bones, and joints.
b. Maintain posture and body position.
We are rarely aware of the skeletal muscles that maintain body posture. Yet these muscles
function almost continuously, making one tiny adjustment after another to counteract the never-
ending downward pull of gravity.
Skeletal muscles help keep the body in the correct position when someone is sitting or standing.
This is known as posture. Good posture relies on strong, flexible muscles. Stiff, weak, or tight
muscles contribute to poor posture and misalignment of the body. Long-term, bad posture leads
to joint and muscle pain in the shoulders, back, neck, and elsewhere.
c. Storing and moving substances within the body.
Storage is accomplished by sustained contractions of ring-like bands of smooth muscle called
sphincters, which prevent outflow of the contents of a hollow organ. Temporary storage of food
in the stomach or urine in the urinary bladder is possible because smooth muscle sphincters close
off the outlets of these organs. Cardiac muscle contractions of the heart pump blood through the
blood vessels of the body. Contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle in the walls of blood
vessels help adjust blood vessel diameter and thus regulate the rate of blood flow. Smooth
muscle contractions also move food and substances such as bile and enzymes through the
gastrointestinal tract, push gametes (sperm and oocytes) through the passageways of the
reproductive systems, and propel urine through the urinary system. Skeletal muscle contractions
promote the flow of lymph and aid the return of blood in veins to the heart.
d. Generating heat (thermogenesis).
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Muscles generate heat as they contract, which plays a role in maintaining normal body
temperature.
Body heat is generated as a by-product of muscle activity. As ATP is used to power muscle
contraction, nearly three-quarters of its energy escapes as heat. This heat is vital in maintaining
normal body temperature. Skeletal muscle accounts for at least 40 percent of body mass, so it is
the muscle type most responsible for generating heat.
As muscular tissue contracts, it produces heat, a process known as thermogenesis. Much of the
heat generated by muscle is used to maintain normal body temperature. Involuntary contractions
of skeletal muscles, known as shivering, can increase the rate of heat production.
e. Stabilize joints.
Even as they pull on bones to cause movement, they strengthen and stabilize the joints of the
skeleton.
Skeletal muscle contractions stabilize joints and help maintain body positions, such as standing
or sitting. Postural muscles contract continuously when you are awake; for example, sustained
contractions of your neck muscles hold your head upright when you are listening intently to your
anatomy and physiology lecture.
2. Describe the features of each muscle type as to location, cellular characteristic, function and
mode of control.
Cellular
Muscle Type Location Function Mode of control
Characteristic
Long cylindrical
Most commonly Voluntary
fiber, striated, Voluntary
attached by movement,
Skeletal many Somatic
tendons to produces heat,
peripherally Nervous System
bones. protects organs
located nuclei
Short, branched, Involuntary
Contracts to
Cardiac Heart striated, single Autonomic
pump blood
central nucleus Nervous System
Involuntary
movement,
Walls of hollow
moves food,
viscera, airways,
Short, spindle- involuntary
blood vessels,
shaped, no control of Involuntary
iris and ciliary
Smooth evident striation, respiration, Autonomic
body of eye,
single nucleus in moves Nervous System
arrector pili
each fiber secretions,
muscles of hair
regulates flow of
follicles
blood in arteries
by contraction
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3. Categorizes the organs of the body according to muscle tissue types. Specify their function.
Muscle Tissue Types Organs Function
The flexor group of the
forearm flexes the wrist and
the fingers. The supinator is a
Forearm
muscle that supinates the
wrist by rolling it over to face
palm up.
Skeletal There are muscles called
adductors whose role is to
Leg
adduct (pull together) the
legs.
Muscle serves to move parts
Two bones across a joint of those bones closer to each
other.
Responsible for pumping
Cardiac Heart
blood throughout the body.
Smooth/Visceral The stomach
muscles contract periodically,
churning food to enhance
digestion. The pyloric
Stomach
sphincter is a muscular valve
that opens to allow food to
pass from the stomach to the
small intestine.
The action of smooth muscle
in the intestinal wall produces
tonic contractions that
maintain organ dimension
against an imposed load such
Intestines
as a bolus of food, as well as
forceful contractions that
produce muscle shortening to
propel the bolus along
the gastrointestinal tract.
Although vessels only
contain smooth muscles, the
contraction of
skeletal muscle plays an
Blood Vessels
important role in the
movement of blood from the
periphery towards the heart in
the venous system.
Skin The arrector pili muscles that
cause our hairs to stand on
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end

Assignment 4.2
1. Describe the microscopic structures of a muscle.
Smooth muscle fibers are spindle-shaped cells of variable size, each with one centrally located
nucleus. Typically, they have a diameter of 5–10 μm and are 30–200 μm long. Skeletal muscle
fibers are up to 10 times wider and thousands of times longer. Smooth muscle lacks the coarse
connective tissue sheaths seen in skeletal muscle. However, a small amount of fine connective
tissue (endomysium), secreted by the smooth muscles themselves and containing blood vessels
and nerves, is found between smooth muscle fibers. Most smooth muscle is organized into sheets
of closely apposed fibers. These sheets occur in the walls of all but the smallest blood vessels
and in the walls of hollow organs of the respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts. In
most cases, there are two sheets of smooth muscle with their fibers oriented at right angles to
each other, as in the intestine.
In the longitudinal layer, the muscle fibers run parallel to the long axis of the organ.
Consequently, when these fibers contract, the organ dilates and shortens.
In the circular layer, the fibers run around the circumference of the organ. Contraction of this
layer constricts the lumen of the organ and elongates the organ. The alternating contraction and
relaxation of these layers mixes substances in the lumen and squeezes them through the organ’s
internal pathway. This propulsive action is called peristalsis (“around contraction”). Contraction
of smooth muscle in the rectum, urinary bladder, and uterus helps those organs to expel their
contents. Smooth muscle contraction also accounts for the constricted breathing of asthma and
for stomach cramps. Smooth muscle lacks the highly structured neuromuscular junctions of
skeletal muscle. Instead, the innervating nerve fibers, which are part of the autonomic
(involuntary) nervous system, have numerous bulbous swellings, called varicosities. The
varicosities release neurotransmitter into a wide synaptic cleft in the general area of the smooth
muscle cells. Such junctions are called diffuse junctions. Comparing the neural input to skeletal
and smooth muscles, you could say that skeletal muscle gets priority mail while smooth muscle
gets bulk mailings. The sarcoplasmic reticulum of smooth muscle fibers is much less developed
than that of skeletal muscle and lacks a specific pattern relative to the myofilaments. Some SR
tubules of smooth muscle touch the sarcolemma at several sites, forming what resembles half-
triads that may couple the action potential to calcium release from the SR. T tubules are absent,
but the sarcolemma has multiple caveolae, pouchlike infoldings that sequester bits of
extracellular fluid containing a high concentration of Ca21 close to the membrane. Consequently,
when calcium channels in the caveolae open, Ca21 influx occurs rapidly. Although the SR does
release some of the calcium that triggers contraction, most Ca21 enters through calcium channels
directly from the extracellular space. This situation is quite different from what we see in skeletal
muscle, which does not depend on extracellular Ca21 for excitation-contraction coupling.
Contraction ends when cytoplasmic calcium is actively transported into the SR and out of the
cell.
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There are no striations in smooth muscle, as its name indicates, and therefore no sarcomeres.
Smooth muscle fibers do contain interdigitating thick and thin filaments, but the myosin
filaments are a lot shorter than the actin filaments and the type of myosin contained differs from
skeletal muscle. The proportion and organization of smooth muscle myofilaments differ from
skeletal muscle in the following ways:
Thick filaments are fewer but have myosin heads along their entire length. The ratio of thick to
thin filaments is much lower in smooth muscle than in skeletal muscle. However, thick filaments
of smooth muscle contain actin-gripping myosin heads along their entire length, a feature that
makes smooth muscle as powerful as a skeletal muscle of the same size. Also, in smooth muscle
the myosin heads are oriented in one direction on one side of the filament and in the opposite
direction on the other side.
No troponin complex in thin filaments. As in skeletal muscle, tropomyosin mechanically
stabilizes the thin filaments, but smooth muscle has no calcium-binding troponin complex.
Instead, a protein called calmodulin acts as the calcium binding site.
Thick and thin filaments arranged diagonally. Bundles of contractile proteins crisscross within
the smooth muscle cell so they spiral down the long axis of the cell like the stripes on a barber
pole. Because of this diagonal arrangement, the smooth muscle cells contract in a twisting way
so that they look like tiny corkscrews.
Intermediate filament–dense body network. Smooth muscle fibers contain a lattice-like
arrangement of noncontractile intermediate filaments that resist tension. They attach at regular
intervals to cytoplasmic structures called dense bodies. The dense bodies, which are also tethered
to the sarcolemma, act as anchoring points for thin filaments and therefore correspond to Z discs
of skeletal muscle. The intermediate filament–dense body network forms a strong, cable-like
intracellular cytoskeleton that harnesses the pull generated by the sliding of the thick and thin
filaments. During contraction, areas of the sarcolemma between the dense bodies bulge outward,
making the cell look puffy. Dense bodies at the sarcolemma surface also bind the muscle cell to
the connective tissue fibers outside the cell (endomysium) and to adjacent cells. This
arrangement transmits the pulling force to the surrounding connective tissue and partly accounts
for the synchronous contractions of most smooth muscle.
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2. Illustrate the myofibrils, sarcomeres and myofilament.

Myofibrils are composed of long proteins including actin, myosin, and titin, and other proteins
that hold them together. These proteins are organized into thick and thin filaments
called myofilaments, which repeat along the length of the myofibril in sections
called sarcomeres.
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3. Before a skeletal muscle fiber can contract, it has to receive an impulse from a nerve cell.
Explain in a diagram the summary of skeletal muscle contraction.

6. Contraction: Myosin 7. Ca2+ release channels

1. A nerve action potential heads bind to actin, close and Ca2+ ATPase
in a somatic motor neuron undergo power strokes,
triggers the release of and release; thin filaments pumps use ATP to
acetylcholine (ACh). are pulled toward center restore low level of
of sacromere Ca2+ in the sarcoplasm

8. Tropomyosin slides
2. ACh binds to receptors 5. Ca2+ binds to troponin back into position
in the motor end plate, on the thin filament,
ultimately triggering a exposing the myosin- where it blocks the
muscle action potential. binding sites on actin. myosin-binding sites on
actin.

3. Acetylcholinesterase 4. A muscle action potential

traveling along a transverse
destroys ACh so another tubule triggers a change in the
muscle action potential voltage-gated Ca2+ channels that 9. Muscle relaxes
does not arise unless more causes the Ca2+ release channels
ACh is released from the to open, allowing the release of
somatic motor neuron calcium ions into the sarcoplasm

4. Describe contraction, excitability, extensibility and elasticity. Discuss their significance.

a) Electrical excitability is a property of both muscle and nerve cells that was introduced. It
is the ability to respond to certain stimuli by producing electrical signals called action
potentials (impulses). Action potentials in muscles are referred to as muscle action
potentials; those in nerve cells are called nerve action potentials. For muscle cells, two
main types of stimuli trigger action potentials. One is autorhythmic electrical signals
arising in the muscular tissue itself, as in the heart’s pacemaker. The other is chemical
stimuli, such as neurotransmitters released by neurons, hormones distributed by the
blood, or even local changes in pH.
b) Contractility is the ability of muscular tissue to contract forcefully when stimulated by an
action potential. When a skeletal muscle contracts, it generates tension (force of
contraction) while pulling on its attachment points. If the tension generated is great
enough to overcome the resistance of the object to be moved, the muscle shortens and
movement occurs.
For instance, in order to flex (decrease the angle of a joint) your elbow you need
to contract (shorten) the biceps brachii and other elbow flexor muscles in the anterior
arm. Notice that in order to extend your elbow, the posterior arm extensor muscles need
to contract. Thus, muscles can only pull, never push.
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c) Extensibility is the ability of muscular tissue to stretch, within limits, without being
damaged. The connective tissue within the muscle limits the range of extensibility and
keeps it within the contractile range of the muscle cells. Normally, smooth muscle is
subject to the greatest amount of stretching. For example, each time your stomach fills
with food, the smooth muscle in the wall is stretched. Cardiac muscle also is stretched
each time the heart fills with blood.
In order to be able to flex the elbow, the elbow extensor muscles must extend in order to
allow flexion to occur. Lack of extensibility is known as spasticity.
d) Elasticity is the ability of muscular tissue to return to its original length and shape after
contraction or extension.
5. Discuss the types of muscle contraction.
Isotonic contractions
come in two “flavors”—concentric and eccentric.
Concentric contractions are those in which the muscle shortens and does work, such as picking
up a book or kicking a ball. Concentric contractions are probably more familiar, but eccentric
contractions, in which the muscle generates force as it lengthens, are equally important for
coordination and purposeful movements. Eccentric contractions occur in your calf muscle, for
example, as you walk up a steep hill. Eccentric contractions are about 50% more forceful than
concentric ones at the same load and more often cause delayed-onset muscle soreness. (Consider
how your calf muscles feel the day after hiking up that hill.) The reason is unclear, but it may be
that the muscle stretching that occurs during eccentric contractions causes microtears in the
muscles. Biceps curls provide a simple example of how concentric and eccentric contractions
work together in our everyday activities. When you flex your elbow to raise this textbook to your
shoulder, the biceps muscle in your arm is contracting concentrically. When you straighten your
arm to return the book to the desktop, the isotonic contraction of your biceps is eccentric.
Basically, eccentric contractions put the body in position to contract concentrically. All jumping
and throwing activities involve both types of contraction.
In isometric contractions (metric 5 measure), tension may build to the muscle’s peak tension-
producing capacity, but the muscle neither shortens nor lengthens (Figure 9.18b). Isometric
contractions occur when a muscle attempts to move a load that is greater than the force (tension)
the muscle is able to develop—think of trying to lift a piano single-handedly. Muscles contract
isometrically when they act primarily to maintain upright posture or to hold joints stationary
while movements occur at other joints. Consider a knee bend. When you squat for a few seconds,
the quadriceps muscles of your anterior thigh contract isometrically to hold your knee in the
flexed position. When you start to rise to the upright position, they continue to contract
isometrically until their tension exceeds the load (weight of your upper body). At that point
muscle shortening (concentric contraction) begins. So the quadriceps contractile sequence for a
deep knee bend from start to finish is (1) flex knee (eccentric), (2) hold squat position
(isometric), (3) extend knee (isometric, then concentric). Of course, this list does not even begin
to consider the isometric contractions of the posterior thigh muscles or of the trunk muscles that
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maintain a relatively erect trunk posture during this movement. Electrochemical and mechanical
events occurring within a muscle are identical in both isotonic and isometric contractions.
However, the results are different. In isotonic contractions, the thin filaments slide. In isometric
contractions, the cross bridges generate force but do not move the thin filaments, so there is no
change in the banding pattern from that of the resting state. (You could say that they are
“spinning their wheels” on the same actin binding sites.)
6. Explain the function of the neuromuscular junction.
The neuromuscular junction, as the name indicates, acts as a bridge between the nervous system
and the muscular system. It is a microstructure through which the process of contraction is
initiated or halted in the muscles by the neurons. Any changes in the neuromuscular junction can
result in impaired contractions of the skeletal muscles.
7. Define the two ways energy is produced in skeletal muscle.
Energy for the release and movement of the myosin head along the actin filament comes from
ATP
Aerobic ATP Production
During everyday activities and light exercise, the mitochondria of muscle fibers produce ATP in
a process called aerobic respiration. Aerobic respiration requires the presence of oxygen to break
down food energy (usually glucose and fat) to generate ATP for muscle contractions. Aerobic
respiration produces large amounts of ATP and is an efficient means of making ATP. Up to 38
ATP molecules can be made for every glucose molecule that is broken down. It is the preferred
method of ATP production by body cells. Aerobic respiration requires large amounts of oxygen
and can be carried out over long periods of time. As activity levels increase, breathing rate
increases to supply more oxygen for increased ATP production.
Anaerobic ATP Production
When muscles are contracting very quickly, which happens during vigorous exercise, oxygen
cannot travel to the muscle cells fast enough to keep up with the muscles’ need for ATP. At this
point, muscle fibers can switch to a breakdown process that does not require oxygen. The
process, called anaerobic gylcolysis (sometimes called anaerobic respiration) breaks down
energy stores in the absence of oxygen to produce ATP.
Anaerobic glycolysis produces only two molecules of ATP for every molecule of glucose, so it is
a less efficient process than aerobic metabolism. However, anaerobic glycolysis produces ATP
about 2.5 times faster than aerobic respiration does. When large amounts of ATP are needed for
short periods of vigorous activity, glycolysis can provide most of the ATP that is needed.
Anaerobic glycolysis also uses up a large amount of glucose to make relatively small amounts of
ATP. In addition to ATP, large amounts of lactic acid are also produced by glycolysis. When
lactic acid builds up faster than it can be removed from the muscle, it can lead to muscle fatigue.
Anaerobic glycolysis can be carried out for only about 30 to 60 seconds. Some recent studies
have found evidence that mitochondria inside the muscle fibers are able to break down lactic
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acid (or lactate) to produce ATP and that endurance training results in more lactate being taken
up by mitochondria to produce ATP.
Assignment 4.3
1. List and define the given characteristics in naming a muscle: location, size, shape, orientation
of fascicles or the direction of fibers, origin and insertions, number of heads or origins, and
action or functions.
Muscle location - some muscle names indicate the bone or body region with which the muscle is
associated. Examples: The temporalis muscle overlies the temporal bone, and intercostal (costal
5 rib) muscles run between the ribs.
Muscle shape - some muscles are named for their distinctive shapes. Examples: The deltoid
muscle is roughly triangular (deltoid 5 triangle), and together the right and left trapezius muscles
form a trapezoid.
Muscle size - terms such as maximus (largest), minimus (smallest), longus (long), and brevis
(short) are often used in muscle names. Examples: The gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus
are the large and small gluteus muscles, respectively.
Direction of muscle fibers - the names of some muscles reveal the direction in which their fibers
(and fascicles) run in reference to some imaginary line, usually the midline of the body or the
longitudinal axis of a limb bone. In muscles with the term rectus (straight) in their names, the
fibers run parallel to that imaginary line (axis). Transversus indicates that the muscle fibers run at
right angles to that line, and oblique indicates that the fibers run obliquely to it. Examples: The
rectus femoris (straight muscle of the thigh, or femur) and transversus abdominis (transverse
muscle of the abdomen).
Number of origins - when biceps, triceps, or quadriceps forms part of a muscle’s name, you can
assume that the muscle has two, three, or four origins, respectively. Example: The biceps brachii
muscle of the arm has two origins, or heads.
Location of the attachments - some muscles are named according to their points of origin and
insertion. The origin is always named first. Example: The sternocleidomastoid muscle of the
neck has a dual origin on the sternum (sterno) and clavicle (cleido), and it inserts on the mastoid
process of the temporal bone.
Muscle action - when muscles are named for the movement they produce, action words such as
flexor, extensor, or adductor appear in the muscle’s name. Example: The adductor longus,
located on the medial thigh, brings about thigh adduction. Often, several criteria are combined in
naming a muscle. For instance, the name extensor carpi radialis longus tells us the muscle’s
action (extensor), what joint it acts on (carpi 5 wrist), and that it lies close to the radius of the
forearm (radialis). It also hints at the size (longus) relative to other wrist extensor muscles.
Unfortunately, not all muscle names are this descriptive.
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2. Create a matrix of the different muscle group as to location and action.

a. Muscles of the head and neck;
b. Muscles of the trunk;
c. Muscles of the upper extremity; and
d. Muscles of the lower extremity.
LOCATION MUSCLE ACTION
Covers the frontal bone, runs from the cranial
aponeurosis to the skin of the eyebrows,
where it inserts. This muscle allows you to
raise your eyebrows, as in surprise, and to
Frontalis wrinkle your forehead. At the posterior end
of the cranial aponeurosis is the small
occipitalis muscle, which covers the posterior
aspect of the skull and pulls the scalp
posteriorly.
Has fibers that runs in circles around the
Orbicularis Oculi eyes. It allows you to close your eyes, squint,
blink and wink.
HEAD AND FACIAL
Is the circular muscle of the lips. Because it
NECK MUSCLES MUSCLES
Orbicularis Oris closes the mouth and protrudes the lips, it is
often called the “kissing” muscle.
Runs horizontally across the cheek and
inserts into the orbicularis oris. It flattens the
cheek (as in whistling or blowing a trumpet).
Buccinator
It is also listed as a chewing muscle because
it compresses the cheek to hold the food
between the teeth during chewing.
Extends from the corner of the mouth to the
cheekbone. It is often referred to as the
Zygomaticus
“smiling” muscle because it raises the
corners of the mouth upward.
Covers the angle of the lower jaw. This
Masseter muscle closes the jaw by elevating the
CHEWING mandible.
MUSCLES Fan-shaped muscle overlying the temporal
Temporalis bone. It inserts into the mandible and acts as
a synergist of the masseter in closing the jaw.
NECK MUSCLES Platysma Is a single sheet-like muscle that covers the
antero-lateral neck. It originates from the
connective tissue covering of the chest
muscles and inserts into the area around the
mouth. Its action is to pull the corners of the
mouth inferiorly, producing a downward sag
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of the mouth.
Are two-headed muscles, one found on each
side of the neck. Of the two heads each
muscle, one arises from the sternum and the
other arises from the clavicle. The heads fuse
before inserting into the mastoid process of
the temporal bone. When both
Sternocleidomastoid sternocleidomastoid muscles contract
together, they flex your neck. It is the actin of
bowing the head that has lead some people to
call these muscles the “prayer” muscles. If
just one muscle contracts the head is rotated
toward the shoulder on the opposite side and
tilts the head to its own side.
TRUNK Is a large fan-shaped muscle covering the
MUSCLES upper part of the chest. Its origin is from the
sternum, shoulder girdle, and the first six
Pectoralis Major ribs. It inserts on the proximal end of the
humerus. This muscle forms the anterior wall
of the axilla and acts to adduct and flex the
ANTERIOR arm.
MUSCLES Deep muscles found between the ribs. The
external coastal are important in breathing
because they help to raise the rib cage when
Intercostal Muscles you inhale. The internal intercostals, which
lie deep to the external intercostals, depress
the rib cage, which helps to move air out of
the lungs when you exhale forcibly.
MUSCLES OF The most superficial muscles of the
THE abdomen. They run from the pubis to the rib
ABDOMINAL cage, enclosed in an aponeurosis. Their main
GIRDLE Rectus Abdominis function is to flex the vertebral column. They
also compress the abdominal contents during
defacation and childbirth and are involved in
forced breathing.
Are paired superficial muscles that make up
the lateral walls of the abdomen. Their fibers
run downward and medially from the last
External Oblique eight ribs and insert into the ilium. Like the
rectus abdominis, they flex the vertebral
column, but they also rotate the trunk and
bend it laterally.
Internal Oblique Are paired muscles deep to the external
obliques. Their fibers run at right angles to
those of the external obliques. They arise
from the iliac crest and insert into the last
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three ribs. Their functions are the same as

those of the external obliques.
The deepest muscle of the abdominal wall
and has fibers that run horizontally across the
Transversus
abdomen. It arises from the lower ribs and
abdominis
iliac crest and inserts into the pubis. This
muscle compresses the abdominal contents.
Most superficial muscles of the posterior
neck and upper trunk. When seen together,
they form a diamond or kite-shaped muscle
mass. Their origin is very broad. Each
muscle runs from the occipital bone of the
skull down the vertebral column to the end of
Trapezius the thoracic vertebrae. They then flare
laterally to insert on the scapular spine and
clavicle. The trapezius muscles extend the
head (thus they are antagonists of the
sternocleiddomastoids). They also can
elevate, depress adduct, and stabilize the
scapula.
Are two large, flat muscles that cover the
lower back. They originate on the lower
spine and ilium and then sweep superiorly to
POSTERIOR
insert into the proximal end of the humerus.
MUSCLES Latissimus Dorsi
Each extends and adducts the humerus.
These are very important muscles when the
arm must be brought down in a power stroke,
as when swimming or striking a blow.
Prime mover of back extension. These paired
muscles are deep muscles of the back. Each
of it is a composite muscle consisting of
three columns that collectively span the
entire length of the vertebral column. These
muscles not only act as powerful back
Erector Spinae
extensors (“erectors”) but also provide
resistance that helps control the action of
bending over at the waist. Following injury
to back structures, these muscles go into
spasms, a common source of lower back
pain.
Quadratus Form part of the posterior abdominal wall.
Lumborum Acting separately, each muscle of the pair
flexes the spine laterally. Acting together,
they extend the lumbar spine. These muscles
arise from the iliac crests and insert into the
upper lumbar vertebrae.
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Are freshly, triangle-shaped muscles that

form the rounded shape of your shoulders.
Because they are so bulky, they are a favorite
Deltoid injection site when relatively small amounts
of medication must be given intramuscularly
(into muscle). It is the prime movers of the
arm abduction.
Is the most familiar muscle of the arm
because it bulges when the elbow is flexed.
This muscle is the powerful prime mover for
flexion of the forearm and acts to supinate
Biceps Brachii the forearm. The best way to remember its
action is to think of opening a bottle of wine.
The biceps supinates the forearm to turn the
corkscrew and then flexes the elbow to pull
the cork.
MUSCLES OF Muscles of the Lies deep to the biceps muscle and is as
THE UPPER Humerus That Act important as the biceps in elbow flexion. The
Brachialis
LIMB on the Forearm brachialis lifts the ulna as the biceps lifts the
radius.
Is a fairly weak muscle that arises on the
Brachioradialis
humerus and inserts into the distal forearm.
Is the only muscle fleshing out the posterior
humerus. Being the powerful prime mover of
elbow extension, it is the antagonist of the
Triceps Brachii
biceps brachii. This muscle is often called the
“boxers” muscle because it can deliver a
straight-arm knockout punch.
Superficial muscle of the hip that forms most
of the flesh of the buttock. It is a powerful
hip extensor that acts to bring the thigh in a
straight line with the pelvis. Although it is
MUSCLES OF Muscles Causing
not very important muscle for extending the
THE LOWER Movement at the Gluteus Maximus
hip when power is needed, as when climbing
LIMB Hip Joint
stairs and when jumping. It originates from
the sacrum and iliac bones and inserts on the
gluteal tuberosity of the femur and into the
large tendinous iliotibial tract.
Gluteus Medius Runs from the ilium to the femur, beneath
the gluteus maximus for most of its length. It
is a hip abductor and is important in
steadying the pelvis during walking. The
gluteus medius is an important site for giving
intramuscular injections. The superolateral
quadrant then overlies the gluteus medius
muscle, which is usually a very safe site for
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an intramuscular injection.
Is a fused muscle composed of two muscles,
the iliacus and the psoas major. It runs from
the iliac bone and lower vertebrae deep
inside the pelvis to insert on the lesser
Iliopsoas
trochanter of the femur. It is a prime mover
of hip flexion. It also acts to keep the upper
body from falling backward when we are
standing erect.
Form the muscle mass at the medial side of
each thigh. As their name indicates, they
adduct, or press, the thighs together.
Adductor Muscles However, because gravity does most of the
work for them, they tend to become flabby
very easily. Special exercises are usually
needed to keep them toned.
Muscles forming the muscle mass of the
posterior thigh. It consists of three muscles,
the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and
Hamstring Group
semitendinosus. They are the prime movers
Muscles Causing of thigh extension and knee flexion. These
Movement at the tendons can be felt at the back of the knee.
Knee Joint It is not too important. It is commonly
referred to as the “tailor’s” muscle because it
Sartorius acts as a synergist to bring about the cross-
legged position in which old time tailors are
often shown.
Prime mover of dorsiflexion; inverts foot;
Tibialis anterior helps support medial longitudinal arch of
foot.
Extensor digitorum Prime mover of toe extension (acts mainly at
longus metatarsophalangeal joints); dorsiflexes foot.
Fibularis (peroneus)
Dorsiflexes and everts foot.
tertius
Extensor hallucis
Extends great toe; dorsiflexes foot
Muscles Causing longus
Movement at the Fibularis (peroneus) Plantar flexes and everts foot; may help keep
Ankle and Foot longus foot flat on ground
Fibularis (peroneus)
Plantar flexes and everts foot
brevis
Plantar flexes foot when knee is extended;
Gastrocnemius because it also crosses knee joint, it can flex
knee when foot is dorsiflexed
Plantar flexes foot; important locomotor and
Soleus postural muscle during walking, running, and
dancing
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3. Illustrate and summarize the muscles of respiration. Emphasize its origin and insertion and
action.
MUSCLE ORIGIN INSERTION ACTION
External inferior border of rib superior border of rib With first ribs fixed
intercostals above below by scalene muscles,
pull ribs toward one
another to elevate rib
cage; aid in
inspiration; synergists
of diaphragm
Internal intercostals superior border of rib inferior border (costal With 12th ribs fixed
below groove) of rib above by quadratus
lumborum, muscles
of posterior
abdominal wall, and
oblique muscles of
the abdominal wall,
they draw ribs
together and depress
rib cage; aid forced
expiration;
antagonistic to
external intercostals
Diaphragm inferior, internal central tendon Prime mover of
surface of rib cage inspiration; flattens
and sternum, costal on contraction,
cartilages of last six increasing vertical
ribs and lumbar dimensions of thorax;
vertebrae when strongly
contracted,
dramatically
increases intra-
abdominal pressure

References:
Books
Marieb, E. (2009). Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (9th Edition).New York:
Pearson Education Inc.
Tortora, G. (2017). Principle of Anatomy and Physiology. United States of America: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
 P a g e | 17

Websites
https://www.nmortho.com/what-are-the-main-functions-of-the-muscular-system/
https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/4-4-muscle-tissue-and-motion/
https://www.visiblebody.com/learn/muscular/muscle-types#:~:text=Each%20type%20of
%20muscle%20tissue,shape%20to%20facilitate%20bodily%20functions.
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Human_Biology/Book
%3A_Human_Biology_(Wakim_and_Grewal)/15%3A_Muscular_System/15.3%3A_Types_of_
Muscle_Tissue
https://www.innerbody.com/image/musfov.html
https://content.byui.edu/file/a236934c-3c60-4fe9-90aa-
d343b3e3a640/1/module7/readings/function_muscle_tissue.html#:~:text=All%20muscle
%20cells%20share%20several,muscle%20cells%20to%20forcefully%20shorten.
https://human-memory.net/neuromuscular-junction/
https://www.ck12.org/biology/muscle-contraction-energy/lesson/Muscle-Contraction-Energy-
Supply-Advanced-BIO-ADV/