Human Muscular System in 3d - Learn Muscles of the Body

The human muscular system is comprised of three distinct muscle types: skeletal muscles, cardiac muscles and smooth muscles. Muscular tissue of an average adult human comprise about 40% of body weight. The muscles of the human body provide essential life functions such as strength, balance, posture, movement and heat production.

The human body is made up of approximately 639 skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue. Most of these muscles are attached to bones via collagenous fibers called tendons. Each skeletal muscle is responsible for moving a particular part of the body, but many times muscles work in groups to perform a specific movement.

This page provides an overview of the Human Muscular System. For more in-depth study of the human muscles we recommend visiting our MUSCLE DIRECTORY.

Muscular System Images

Anterior View | Posterior View | Enlarged Skeletal Muscle Fiber

Muscular System Videos

Elbow Anatomy | Knee Anatomy | Hip Anatomy | Shoulder Anatomy

Anterior (Frontal) Overview of the Muscular System - Male

Posterior (Rear) Overview of the Muscular System - Male

Enlarged Muscle Fiber - 10,000x Magnification

The muscle fiber is the basic element of the diagonally striped skeletal muscle. It is a giant cell (1 – 10 cm long and up to 0.1 mm thick) with many nuclei. Its chief functional element is formed by myofibrils. The myofibrils are made of the yofilaments myosin and actin and are surrounded by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The characteristic longitudinal striping of the skeletal muscle is caused by the specific arrangement of the myofilaments. The thick myosin filaments, which are optically bi-refracted, form the A (transverse) band. The thin actin filaments, by contrast, are uni-refracted and form the I (isotropic) band. The Z line (intermediate stripe) runs through its center. The section between two Z lines is called the sarcomere. Starting from the cell membrane, the cytoplasm is run through by membranous tubes, called the transversal tubuli, which together with the terminal cisterns of the sarcoplasmic reticulum form a triad. The nuclei are situated in the cell periphery. Mitochondria, the “power plants of the cells” run parallel to the myofibrils.

The neuromuscular end plate is the name of the area in which a motor nerve ending is in contact with the skeletal muscle cell. The nerve ending is covered by a Schwann cell. The synaptic gap, which is filled by a common basal lamina of the muscle and Schwann cell, lies between the muscle cell and the nerve ending. The nerve ending contains mitochondria as well as presynaptic vesicles that are filled with transmitter substances (usually acetylcholine).

Anatomy of the Elbow Joint Video

Anatomy of the Knee Joint Video

Anatomy of the Hip Joint Video

Anatomy of the Shoulder Joint Video

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This page was last updated 3/25/2010
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