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Perimysium is the name given to the fibrous sheath
that surrounds (covers)
each bundle of
single muscle
fibres, the bundle being known as a fascicle.
Some
texts describe perimysium as "dividing" or "grouping" individual muscle
fibres into bundles or fasciculi.
Structure of Perimysium: Perimysium contains mainly collagen, but also intramuscular fat
(marbling), blood vessels and nerves that maintain blood flow and innervate
the fascicles.
Each fascicle receives branches of these blood vessels and nerves.
Perimysium should not be confused with other layers
of connective tissue located in the structure of muscles, such as endomysium or epimysium.
Layers of muscle tissue are located as follows:
- Sarcolemma is the cell membrane that encloses each muscle
cell (also known as a muscle fibre).
- Endomysium is connective tissue that wraps each individual
muscle fibre.
- Perimysium is connective tissue that wraps bundles of muscle
fibres - the "bundles" being known as fasicles.
- Epimysium is connective tissue that wraps the whole muscle.
- Fascia (or "deep fascia") covers the entire muscle
and is located over the layer of epimysium.
This Section consists of short summaries about the
structures that form the muscles of the body.
This list is not exhaustive but is intended to be appropriate for students
of A-Level Human Biology, ITEC courses in massage and related subjects,
and some other courses in Health Sciences.
For more general information about Muscles see
the pages about: Anterior
Muscles, Posterior
Muscles, Facial
Muscles, Terminology
about Muscles, and the Structure
of Muscles. |
