Histology Flashcards
When referring to skeletal muscle cells, what does the term syncytial infer about the cell?
describe some elements of a skeletal muscle cell
It is multinucleated
striated, unbrached, multinucleated
Why are nuclei found at the periphery of skeletal muscle cells?
The cytoskeleton pushes them to the cell peripheries
The bundles muscle fibres are grouped into are called what?
Fascicles - muscle typically contains several
What is the term given to connective tissue around the muscle as a whole?
Epimysium
What is the term given to connective tissue around the individual fascicles?
Perimysium
What is the term given to connective tissue around a single muscle fibre?
Endomysium
What is a motor unit?
A single motor neurone and all of the muscle fibres it innervates
By definition a sarcomere extends between which consectutive points?
Between consecutive Z-lines
What are the types of skeletal muscle?
- Type I
- Type IIa
- Type IIb
What is type I muscle?
- Slow fibres
- Rely on oxidative metabolism
- Abdundant mitochondria and myoglobin
- Resistant to fatigue
- Produce less force
- Red in colour
What is type IIa muscle?
- Relatively fast
- Relatively resistant to fatigue
- Relatively uncommon
What is type IIb muscle?
- Fast
- Depend on anaerobic metabolism
- Few mitochondria and myoglobin
- Fatigue easily
- Produce more force
- White in colour
How are chondrocytes nourished?
Diffusion from the extracellular matrix
What is the space within the extracellular matrix that chondrocytes reside?
Lacuna
What are chondrocytes responsible for secreting and maintaining?
The extracellular matirx around them