THE

MUSCULAR
SYSTEM
By: Nancy Magaa

IMPORTANT FACTS
There are more than 600 muscles in the body
Together they account for 40% of a humans
weight
They not only allow movement they also provide
heat to the body

MUSCLE FUNCTIONS
The muscular system is composed of specialized
cells called muscle fibers
Their predominant function is contractibility.
Nearly all movement in the body is the result of
muscle contraction.
Exceptions to this are the action of cilia, the
flagellum on sperm cells, and amoeboid
movement of some white blood cells.
In addition to movement, muscle contraction also
fulfills other important functions in the body,
such as posture, joint stability, and heat
production.

TWO TYPE OF MUSCLE

FUNCTIONS
Involuntary

Muscles that move on its own. They cannot

be controlled by the body. Examples of these
muscles are the smooth muscles in your
digestive system, and the muscles that make
your heart pump

Voluntary

Muscles that are controlled by the

body. These muscles are mostly
skeletal muscles, which help you
move your body.

CHARACTERISTICS OF
MUSCLES

Contractibility: The ability of muscle to

shorten when its adequately stimulated.
Elasticity: The ability of the muscle to recoil and
resume to the original length.
Extensibility: The ability of how far the muscle
can stretch.

TYPES OF MUSCLE

Smooth Muscles

Skeletal Muscle

Cardiac Muscle

CARDIAC MUSCLE
Usually muscle has only one nucleus
Striated muscle
Cardiac Muscles are involuntarily
and found only in the heart.
They make up the atria and
ventricles.
They are controlled by the lower
section of the brain called the
medulla oblongata, which controls
involuntary action throughout the
body.
Cardiac Muscle is a twitch muscle
it only does short single contractions.
Appearance of cells in the cardiac
muscle are branched and connected
in complex networks.

SMOOTH MUSCLE
Its appearance is spindle
shaped, and, its uninucleated.
Smooth muscles contract slowly
and rhythmically
Its found in the walls of the
hollow internal organs such as
blood vessels, the
gastrointestinal tract, bladder,
and uterus.
Smooth muscles are in the
control of the autonomic nervous
system.
This kind of muscle cannot be
controlled consciously, there for
its involuntary.
There are two types of smooth
muscle: multi unit (are cells that
can operate independently, and
visceral (where cells can operate
as a unit)

SKELETAL MUSCLE
Skeletal muscle is a type of striated
muscle. Its multinucleated.
This types of muscle is used to provide
movement via contraction
They generally move voluntarily, although
they also move involuntarily through
reflexes.
Skeletal muscles can be broken down into
groups, based upon the movement they
portray.
~ Extenders
~ Abductors
~ Adductors
Skeletal muscle is surrounded by
connective tissue.
The connective tissue often extends
beyond the end of the muscle, providing
an attachment to other muscles or to
bones.
Bone to muscle (tendon)

MALFUNCTIONS
Muscle Dystrophy

A Disease that cause s the muscles to break

down.
Its most common in boys however girls can get
this genetic disorder too.
Caused by missing genes.
These genes allow you to make muscles strong.
Without these proteins your muscles are weaker.
Muscular dystrophy can be developed at any age
in life.
This disease is genetic