Muscular System

The Human Muscular system is an organ system consisting of different types of muscles
that help us in the movement of the body. The muscles may be voluntary or involuntary in
function.

Different parts of the Muscular System

The Muscular system consists of three types of muscles namely:

1. Skeletal Muscles
2. Smooth Muscles
3. Cardiac Muscles
About 600 muscles of all sizes and shapes are attached to the framework of the skeletal
system. These muscles contribute to the half of the total weight of an adults body.
The muscles help in holding the skeleton together and hold the signals that originate in
the brain and assist other parts in their movement. The Muscular system in humans is
controlled by the nervous system.
Muscles work together with bones to protect the bodys vital organs and support them in
the movement throughout the skeletal system.

Following are the Functions of the Muscular System:

Muscular
Muscular
Muscular
Muscular
body.
Muscular
Muscular

system helps in the movement of the body.

system maintains the balance of the human body.
system maintains the posture of the human body.
system helps in the circulation of blood throughout the
system provides heat to the body and keeps it warm.
system provides strength to the human body.

Skeletal muscles:
Skeletal muscles are also known as voluntary muscles as they are under our
control and they move only when we want them to move. They are also known as striped
and striated muscles as they have striations anatomically and can be seen under a
microscope.
Skeletal Muscles are also known as Straighted muscles, and these are the muscle fibers
that help in the movement of all the bones as the face and the eyes.
Through the central and peripheral nervous system, we have conscious control over these
skeletal muscles. Straighted muscle fibers have patterns of dark and light bands, or fibrils
in their cytoplasm.
Fibrous tissue that envelops and separates muscles is called fascia, which contains the
muscles blood lymph and nerve supply.

Smooth muscles:
Smooth muscles are called as non-striated muscles as these muscles do not
contain any striations when observed under a microscope. These are also known as
involuntary muscles as these muscles are not under our control.
The brain does not control its actions voluntarily. Smooth muscles are also known as
visceral muscles as these muscles fibers move internal organs such as the digestive tract,
blood vessels, and secretory ducts leading from glands.
These smooth muscles are controlled by the autonomic nervous system. These muscles
are known as smooth muscles because they have no dark and light fibrils in their
cytoplasm.
Skeletal muscle fibers are arranged in bundles, while smooth muscle forms sheets of fibers
as it wraps around tubes and vessels.
Smooth muscles are responsible for the movement of muscular actions of internal organs
such as movement of food and wastes along the digestive tract. The other movement is
the contraction or dilation of the pupil of the eyes and other countless involuntary
movements of the sense and internal organs except the heart.

Cardiac muscles:
Cardiac muscles are also known as heart muscles. These muscles are specially
confined to the region of the heart, so they are known as cardiac muscles.
Cardiac muscles are involved in the rhythmic beating and contractions of the heart, which
are not under our consciousness, therefore cardiac muscles, are also known as involuntary
muscles.
Cardiac muscles are different from the skeletal muscles in having lateral connection
between the muscle fibers. They are under the control of Autonomic Nervous System and
are not under self-control.
Cardiac muscles are straightened in appearance but like smooth muscle in its action. Its
movement cannot be consciously controlled. The fibers of cardiac muscles are branching
fibers and are found in heart.