The term striations (when
used in the context of the anatomy of muscle structures) refers to the
stripe-like visual features found in skeletal
muscle.
These visual features consist of alternating light and dark striations
that can be observed using just a simple light microscope.
These striations are due
to the highly ordered arrangement of actin and myosin filaments
within
each myofibril and
the orderly arrangement of the myofibrils within the muscle
cell (fibre). Each line or set of lines is given a letter name,
which is the accepted way to refer to specific parts of these striations.
These letter names are: A
band; H
zone; I
band; Z
disc.
The different types of muscle tissue are:
- Skeletal
Muscle - muscles that move bones (under concious control).
- Smooth
Muscle - surrounding organs and other body structures (nor
under concious control).
- Cardiac
Muscle - the specialised muscle found only in the heart.
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. |
