Muscular System Flashcards
what are muscles made of?
cells that can shorten or contract
what does myo stand for?
refers to muscles
What is myology?
The study of muscles
What is myositis?
inflammation of muscle tissue
What does sarco refer to?
Muscle cells
What is sarcoplasm?
The cytoplasm of a muscle cell
What are tendons?
dense fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscle to other body parts (usually bone), is poorly vascularized
What is aponeurosis?
a broad sheet of dense fibrous connective tissue, similar in structure to tendons and serve the same function
What is the retinaculum?
A band of fascia that stabilizes a tendon in place
What is the bursa?
A fluid-filled sac or pouch that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues such as tendon and bone
What is a tendon sheath?
Like a bursa that wraps around a tendon and performs the same function
What are motor units?
the physiological unit of muscle contraction
Describe smooth muscle.
non-striated, involuntary; composed of small, spindle shaped cells that lack striation or bands and therefore appear “smooth”. Each cell has a centrally located nucleus.
Where is smooth muscle located?
in the walls of hollow organs such as the esophagus, stomach, intestine, colon, blood vessels, and bladder; also in skin attached to hair and in the iris of the eye
What is the function of smooth muscle?
It moves food through the digestive tract, regulates the size of an organ, controls light entering the eye, moves fluid through vessels, and causes hair to stand erect
Describe cardiac muscle.
Striated, involuntary; cells are cylindrical and branched with a single centrally located nucleus. Cells form an intricate network and are connected by intercalated disks (specialized type of gap junction)