What is muscular tissue
Muscle Tissue Definition Muscle tissue is a specialized tissue found in animals which functions by contracting, thereby applying forces to different parts of the body. Muscle tissue consists of fibers of muscle cells connected together in sheets and fibers. Together these sheets and fibers and known as muscles, and control the movements of an organisms as well as many other contractile functions. There are three different types of muscle found in animals, depending on their use. While these muscles differ slightly, they function in a similar way.
Function of Muscle Tissue Muscle tissue functions as a single unit, and is often connected to the same nerve bundles. A nerve impulse traveling from the brain or another outside signal tells the muscle to contract. The nerve impulse is transferred almost instantaneously to all the nerve cells in the muscle tissue, and the entire muscle contracts.
At the cellular level, each muscle cell has a complex of proteins containing actin and myosin. These proteins slide past one another when the signal to contract is received. The filaments are connected to the ends of the cells, and as they slide past one another, the cell contracts in length. A single cell can contract up to 70% in length, which shortens the entire muscle when contraction happens. Muscle tissue can be used to move bones, compress chambers, or squeeze various organs. These different types of muscle tissue are discussed below.
Muscle tissue is a specialized tissue found in animals which functions by contracting, thereby applying forces to different parts of the body. Muscle tissue consists of fibers of muscle cells connected together in sheets and fibers. Together these sheets and fibers and known as muscles, and control the movements of an organisms as well as many other contractile functions. There are three different types of muscle found in animals, depending on their use. While these muscles differ slightly, they function in a similar way.
Function of Muscle Tissue
Muscle tissue functions as a single unit, and is often connected to the same nerve bundles. A nerve impulse traveling from the brain or another outside signal tells the muscle to contract. The nerve impulse is transferred almost instantaneously to all the nerve cells in the muscle tissue, and the entire muscle contracts.
At the cellular level, each muscle cell has a complex of proteins containing actin and myosin. These proteins slide past one another when the signal to contract is received. The filaments are connected to the ends of the cells, and as they slide past one another, the cell contracts in length. A single cell can contract up to 70% in length, which shortens the entire muscle when contraction happens. Muscle tissue can be used to move bones, compress chambers, or squeeze various organs. These different types of muscle tissue are discussed below.
