Muscle Tissue

Front

Contractility Noun

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[kon-trak-til-i-tee]

Back

Contractility

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The inherent ability of muscle tissue to shorten forcibly when it is adequately stimulated by a nerve impulse.

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Example: This image shows how the bicep muscle contracts (gets shorter and thicker) to bend the arm, while the opposing tricep muscle relaxes.

Front

Extensibility Noun

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[ek-sten-suh-bil-i-tee]

Back

Extensibility

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The capacity of muscle tissue to be stretched or lengthened beyond its normal resting length without being damaged.

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Example: This diagram shows how muscles work in pairs; when the biceps muscle contracts to bend the arm, the triceps muscle relaxes and stretches.

Front

Elasticity Noun

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[ee-las-tis-i-tee]

Back

Elasticity

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The ability of muscle tissue to recoil and rebound to its original resting length after being stretched or contracted.

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Example: This image shows how bicep and tricep muscles work in pairs to bend and straighten the arm, demonstrating muscle contraction and relaxation.

Front

Excitability Noun

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[ek-sy-tuh-bil-i-tee]

Back

Excitability

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The ability of muscle tissue to receive and respond to a stimulus, such as a neurotransmitter from a neuron.

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Example: A signal from a motor neuron (nerve cell) travels to a muscle fiber, causing an electrical change that excites the muscle to respond.

Front

Skeletal Muscle Noun

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[skel-i-tl muhs-uhl]

Back

Skeletal Muscle

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A type of voluntary, striated muscle tissue that is attached to bones and is responsible for body movement.

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Example: This diagram shows skeletal muscle attached to bone and a magnified view of its cells, highlighting their striped appearance (striations) and multiple nuclei.

Front

Cardiac Muscle Noun

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[kar-dee-ak muhs-uhl]

Back

Cardiac Muscle

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A type of involuntary, striated muscle tissue found exclusively in the walls of the heart, responsible for pumping blood.

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Example: This diagram shows that cardiac muscle is found in the heart and is made of branched, striated cells connected by intercalated discs.

Front

Smooth Muscle Noun

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[smooth muhs-uhl]

Back

Smooth Muscle

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A type of involuntary, nonstriated muscle tissue found in the walls of hollow organs like the intestines and bladder.

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Example: This diagram shows that smooth muscle tissue is made of spindle-shaped cells and is controlled by autonomic neurons, which release neurotransmitters to make the muscle contract.

Front

Striated Adjective

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[stry-ey-tid]

Back

Striated

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Describing muscle tissue that appears striped due to the regular, repeating arrangement of contractile protein filaments.

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Example: This diagram shows how cardiac muscle tissue, found in the heart, is made of cells that have a striped or 'striated' appearance when viewed up close.

Front

Nonstriated Adjective

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[non-stry-ey-tid]

Back

Nonstriated

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Describing muscle tissue that has a uniform, smooth appearance without any visible stripes or bands under a microscope.

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Example: This image shows that smooth muscle is nonstriated because its cells lack the striped pattern (striations) that is visible in skeletal and cardiac muscle.

Front

Tendon Noun

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[ten-duhn]

Back

Tendon

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A tough, flexible cord of dense fibrous connective tissue that attaches a skeletal muscle to a bone.

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Example: This diagram shows a tendon, which is the tough, flexible tissue that connects a muscle to a bone, allowing movement.