Study Question Five

• Be able to describe the characteristics of muscles and apply them to super and micro structure of muscle.

  There are four main characteristics of muscles which include excitability, the muscles’ ability to respond to stimulation; contractility, the ability to shorten the muscle; extensibility, the ability to stretch the muscle; and elasticity, the ability of the muscle to return to its original length.
• Be able to describe the characteristics of muscles and apply them to super and micro structure of muscle.

  Super structures of the muscle include the three types of muscle, deep fascia, epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium; while micro structures include muscle fibers, myofibrils, and sarcomeres.
• Be able to describe the characteristics of muscles and apply them to super and micro structure of muscle.

  Skeletal muscles are excitable and contractile, depending on the sarcomeres for their control; cardiac muscles are excitable, and rely on intercalated discs for communication; smooth muscle is extensible and elastic, it can stretch for internal organs it surrounds.