Muscle Connective Tissues and Fascicles

unipennate

all fascicles approach tendon from one side

insertion

attachment site at its more mobile end

retinaculum

band of connective tissue that covers surfaces

origin

bony site of attachment at the relatively stationary end

aponeurosis

broad tendon sheet

action

effect produced by a muscle, produce or prevent movement

triangular(convergent) muscles

fan shaped, strong, contain a large number of fibers in the wider section

bipennate

fascicles approach the tendon from both sides

pennate

feather shaped, fascicles insert obliquely on a tendon that runs the length of the muscle

tendon

fibrous band or sheath

epimysium

fibrous sheath that covers the entire muscle

circular muscles(sphincters)

form rings around certain openings

muscle compartment

group of functionally related muscles enclosed and separated from others by fascia, contains nerves and blood vessels that supply that muscle group

direct(fleshy)attachment

little separation between muscle and bone. Muscle seems to emerge directly from the bone but microscopically the fibers stop slightly short of the bone

belly

middle, thicker region

synergist

muscle that aides the prime mover, stabilizes joint, can modify direction of a movement so prime action is more coordinated and specific

antagonist

muscle that opposes the prime mover, maintains some tension on a joint or relaxes to give the prime mover control

fixator

muscle that prevents a bone from moving

prime mover(agonist)

muscle that produces most of the force during a joint action

antagonist pair

muscles that act on opposite sides of a joint

fascicles

parallel bundles of muscle fibers

intermuscular septa

separates one compartment from another, thick

multipennate

shaped like a bunch of feathers with their quills meeting at a single point

fascia

sheet of connective tissue that separates neighboring muscles or muscle groups

fusiform

spindle shape, thick in the middle and tapered on each end, strong ex. biceps brachii

indirect attachment

the muscle ends short of its bony destination, bridged by a tendon

perimysium

thicker connective tissue sheath that wraps muscle fibers in bundles

endomysium

thin sleeve of loose connective tissue that surrounds each muscle fiber

parallel muscles

uniform width, parallel fascicles, span long distances, shorten more than other types