Anatomy and Physiology (lec)
The Muscular System 1st sem
Muscular System
 is an organ system consisting
of skeletal, smooth, and
cardiac muscles. It permits
movement of the body,
maintains posture, and
circulates blood throughout the
body. The muscular systems
are controlled through the
nervous system although some
muscles can be completely
autonomous.
Muscle
 a band or bundle of fibrous
tissue that has the ability to
contract, produce movement
and maintain the position of the
parts of the body:
 Muscle cells contain protein
filaments of actin and myosin
that slide past one another,
producing a contraction that
changes both the length and
the shape of the
cell. Muscles function to
produce force and motion.
Actin- is a highly abundant
intracellular protein present in all
eukaryotic cells and has a pivotal
role in muscle contraction as well as
in cell movements.
Actin also has an essential function
in maintaining and controlling cell
shape and architecture.
Myosin - a prototype of a molecular
motor, a protein that converts
chemical energy in the form of ATP
to mechanical energy, thus
generating force and movement.
Microscopic Anatomy of the Muscle
 Skeletal muscle fibers are long,
multinucleated cells. The
membrane of the cell is the
sarcolemma; the cytoplasm of
the cell is the sarcoplasm. The
sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is
a form of endoplasmic
reticulum. Muscle fibers are
composed of myofibrils
3 Types of Muscle Tissues
1. Smooth Muscles
 is a type of muscle tissue which
is used by various systems to
apply pressure to vessels and
organs.
 Smooth muscle is composed of
sheets or strands of smooth
muscle cells.
 These cells have fibers of actin
and myosin which run through
the cell and are supported by a
framework of other proteins.
2. Cardiac Muscles
 (also called heart muscle or
myocardium). It is an
involuntary, striated muscle that
constitutes the main tissue of
the walls of the heart.
3. Skeletal Muscles
 It is a form of
striated muscle tissue, which is
under the voluntary control of
the somatic nervous system.
 Most skeletal muscles are
attached to bones by bundles of
collagen fibers known as
tendons.
Divisions of the Muscular System
1. Head Muscles
2. Neck Muscles
3. Upper Body Muscles
4. Lower Body Muscles
5. Hand Muscles (video)
6. Muscles of the Foot (video)
7. Simple Muscle Movements
1. Head Muscles
 The muscles of the head and
neck perform many important
tasks, including movement of
the head and neck, chewing
and swallowing, speech, facial
expressions, and movement of
the eyes.
 These diverse tasks require
both strong, forceful
movements and some of the
fastest, finest, and most
delicate adjustments in the
entire human body.
I. Muscles of Facial
Expressions
 The muscles of facial
expression are located in the
subcutaneous tissue,
originating from bone or fascia,
and inserting onto the skin. By
contracting, the muscles pull on
the skin and exert their effects.
They are the only group of
muscles that insert into the skin.
It can broadly be split into three
groups:
1. Orbital Group
2. Nasal group
3. Oral Group
1. Orbital Group
 Orbicularis Oculi is
the muscle that
surrounds the eye socket and
extends into the eyelid It has
three distinct parts:
a. Palpebral part – gently closes
the eyelids.
b. Lacrimal part – involved in the
drainage of tears.
c. Orbital part – tightly closes the
eyelids.
 Corrugator Supercii -It
is a much smaller
muscle and is
located posteriorly to the
orbicularis oculi. Acts to
draw the eyebrows
together, creating
vertical wrinkles on the bridge
of the nose
2. Nasal Group
 Nasalis- It is
the largest of the nasal
muscles. It is split into
two parts: transverse
and alar. The transverse
part compresses the
nares, and the alar part
opens the nares.
 Procerus- The contraction of
this muscle pulls the
eyebrows downward
to produce transverse
wrinkles over the
nose.
 Depressor Septi
Nasi- It pulls the nose inferiorly,
opening the nares.
3. Oral Group
 Obicularis Oris- The
fibers of the
orbicularis oris
enclose the opening
to the oral
cavity. Purses the lips.
 Buccinator- This muscle is
located between the mandible
and maxilla.
- It pulls the cheek
inwards against the
teeth, preventing
accumulation of food in
that area.
Other Oral Muscles:
 There are other muscles that
act on the lips and mouth.
Anatomically, they can
be divided into
a. Upper Group
b. Lower Groups
The Upper Group contains the
following:
 Risorius - helps to create a
smile or a frown, and myriad
other expressions in-between.
 Zygomaticus Major - helping to
smile by pulling the muscles
upward
 Zygomaticus Minor - facilitate
speech, as well as to enable
various facial expressions, such
as smiling.
The Lower Group contains the :
 Depressor Anguli Oris - facial
muscle associated with
frowning
 Depressor Labii Inferioris-facial
muscle that helps lower the
bottom lip.
 Mentalis - elevates the base of
the lower lip, thus everting and
protruding it.
This movement also wrinkles
the skin of the chin.
 Levator Labii Superioris
Alaeque Nasi - dilate the
nostrils and elevate
the upper lip. This action
enables a 'snarl' facial
expression, made famous by
Elvis Presley and earning it the
nickname 'The Elvis Muscle. ‘
II. Muscle of Mastication
1. Masseter
 It is the most powerful muscle
of mastication.
 It is quadrangular in shape, and
can be split into two parts: deep
and superficial.
 Elevates the mandible, closing
the mouth
2. Temporali
 Elevates the mandible, closing
the mouth.
 Also retracts the mandible,
pulling the jaw posteriorly
3. Medial Ptergoid
 Elevates the mandible, closing
the mouth.
4. Lateral Ptergoid
 Acting bilaterally, the lateral
pterygoids protract the
mandible, pushing the jaw
forwards.
 Unilateral action produces the
‘side to side’ movement of the
jaw.
III. The Tongue
 A boneless mass that you can
protrude at will, fold, invert, lay
flat or fill the mouth. These
muscles are divided into :
1. Intrinsic
2. Extrinsic