ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Review Guide Chapter 6 – The Muscular System:
P 183
 Understand the terms “mys-,” “myo-,” and “sarco-“
 The layout of a typical skeletal muscle
 Know the differences between skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle
o Where each is found
o The differences in mucles fibers and cells
o Functional differences
P185
 Muscle functions
o Movement
o Posture
o Stabilizing joints
o Generating heat
o Other
P186
 Microanatomy of a skeletal muscle fiber
o Know the vocab terms inside and out
o Be able to identify the different structural components in a diagram and which zone of a
sarcomere contain each type of structural element
 Stimulation and contraction of a skeletal muscle fiber
o You must be able to describe the activation of the muscle at the neuromuscular junction
(NMJ) including the role of Ach, how it works and is released and how the stimulation is shut
off via ion channel control
o Describe the process of action potential initiation and propagation along the cell body and
axon after initial stimulation at the NMJ
o Describe the sliding filament theory and how muscles are able to generate force
 Whole muscle contraction
o Describe what is meant by a graded response despite the “all or nothing” activation of fibers
o Know the difference between muscle twitches and tetanus including the in between stages
involving cumulative stimulation of muscles
 Know how energy is provided to muscle cells for contraction via three ATP
regeneration pathways:
1. Direct phosphorylation of ADP by creatine phosphate
2. Aerobic respiration
3. Anaerobic glycolysis and lactic acid formation
 Muscle fatigue and oxygen deficit
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Know how these are compensated for by the body when attempting to regain
homeostatic balance
o Types of muscle contractions
 Isotonic and isometric
 Know what is meant by muscle tone, flaccid and atrophy
Relative to exercise, know how aerobic (endurance) exercise aides muscle development and
maintenance, in addition to resistance (isometric) training exercises. (You will get A LOT of
information from me directly regarding this topic that is NOT in the textbook!)
P197
 Know how muscles are hooked up to the bones at points of origin and insertion and how muscles
move bones
 Know the names of the different types of movement including
o Flexion/Extension
o Abduction/Adduction
o Rotation (including: lateral, medial)
o Dorsiflection/plantar flexion
o Inversion/eversion
o Pronation/supination
o Circumduction and opposition
 Know the types of muscles and their functions involved in each movement and be able to identify
some specific sets of muscle groups for common movements:
o Prime mover (agonists)
o Antagonists
o Synergists
o Fixators (stabilizers)
P202
 Become VERY familiar with the naming systems for muscles
o Many muscles have very logical names but may be tricky depending on the group of muscles
you are learning. PS: You will need to learn the names of the muscles!!!
o Muscles are named for one or more of the following features:
 Direction of the muscle fibers (ex: rectus = straight), relative size of the muscle,
location of the muscle, number of origins, location of the muscle’s origin and
insertion, shape of the muscle, action of the muscle
 Know the arrangement of the faciscles and be able to identify muscles based on pictures or
diagrams
o Circular, convergent, parallel, fusiform, pennate (uni/bi/multi),
P205
 Gross Anatomy and major muscles
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Head and neck – there will be a few facial muscles I will be concerned with but not many. I
am more interested in getting you guys to learn the details of the functional muscles of the
body from the neck down (including sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, platysma, scalene and
south)
Trunk muscles
Posterior muscles
Muscles of the upper limb
Muscles of the lower limb
P214
 Developmental aspects of the muscular system including homeostatic imbalances:
o Muscular dystrophy
o Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy
o Myasthenia gravis
Pages 216-219 Have a great diagram of the muscles and their locations/primary actions