Skeletal striated muscle

As skeletal muscle is referred to those muscles that are primarily responsible for the arbitrary, active body movements, such as the movement of arms and legs. The skeletal muscles are like the heart muscle to striated muscles. Notwithstanding find muscles of this type also in the tongue, in the muscles of the larynx and in the muscles of the diaphragm, although their task is not the movement of the skeleton. Subject to the heart muscle, in contrast to the other striated muscle, not the arbitrary controller.

The skeletal muscles can be divided "white" muscle in "red" and. The red muscles, which owes its red color to a higher content of muscle fibers with oxidative energy production is chiefly responsible for the persistent movements (ie predominates in endurance athletes ). The white muscles can contract faster and stronger movements run (ie forms of motor sports enthusiasts a significant proportion of muscle mass ).

The skeletal muscles are attached via tendons or fascia in the skeleton. Accordingly, a distinction is the origin and insertion, in between the muscle belly.

Construction

Skeletal muscle is composed of several muscle fiber bundles which are each composed of individual muscle fibers, which may be up to 15 cm long ( in the muscle of the thigh cutter even up to 30 or even 40 cm) and the outside of the connective tissue, the fascia, wrapped. A skeletal muscle as a whole is surrounded by connective tissue ( epimysium ), pull out of the so-called septa in the interior, and both the individual muscle fibers envelop ( endomysium ) as well as groups of muscle fibers to muscle fiber bundles summarize ( perimysium ).

Each muscle fiber is made up of thousands of threadlike structures called myofibrils. These traverse adjacent muscle fiber lengthwise and are composed of smaller units, the myofilaments. In these protein structures, the muscle contraction passes through mutual nesting.

To distinguish it from the skeletal muscle is the smooth muscle that is responsible for the involuntary movements of the gastrointestinal tract, the dilation of blood vessels, etc..

Impact on the physical well-being

Skeletal muscle can messengers the immune system, influence lipid metabolism and the development of diabetes mellitus.