BIOL 342 Exam 2 Study Guide – Muscle Tissue,
Contractions & Fiber Types (Gardner)|Questions with
Verified A+ Graded Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Three main classes of muscle
1. skeletal muscle
2. smooth muscle
3. cardiac muscle
skeletal muscle
connects bones and are used for complex coordinated activities
smooth muscle
surround internal organs (large and small intestine) and large blood vessels, regulates blood
pressure and flow, forms sphincters and produces contractions
cardiac muscle
striated muscle of the heart, beats on its own, have a single nucleus, high in myoglobin and
mitochondria, have intercalated discs (conduct action potentials)
Properties of muscular tissue
excitability, contractility, extensibility, elasticity
isometric contraction
muscle develops tension but does not shorten, flexing
isotonic contraction
muscle shortens because muscle tension exceeds load, there is movement
eccentric isotonic contraction
lengthening of a muscle during a contraction, lowering the dumbbell
concentric isotonic contraction
muscle shortens and pulls on another structure, curl the dumbbell
skeletal muscle functions
, Produce skeletal movement
Maintain body position
Support soft tissues
Guard openings
Maintain body temperature
Store nutrient reserves
Skeletal Muscle connective tissues
epimysium, perimysium, endomysium
Epimysium
separates muscles from surrounding tissue
Perimysium
surrounds muscle fiber bundles (fascicles)
Endomysium
surrounds each individual muscle fiber
slow oxidative fibers
contract slowly, have slow acting myosin ATPases, and are fatigue resistant, red color, help
maintain posture, high amount in myoglobin
fast glycolytic fibers
contract quickly, have fast myosin ATPase, intermediate fibers, fairly fatigue resistant, also red
fast oxidative glycolytic fibers
largest fibers that fatigue very easily, high levels of glycogen and low levels of mitochondria and
myoglobin, white
Transverse tubules (T-tubules)
Transmit action potential through cell
Allow entire muscle fiber to contract simultaneously
Have same properties as sarcolemma
Myofribil
bundles of protein filaments (myofilaments) which are responisble for muscle contraction
sarcoplasmic reticulum
Contractions & Fiber Types (Gardner)|Questions with
Verified A+ Graded Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Three main classes of muscle
1. skeletal muscle
2. smooth muscle
3. cardiac muscle
skeletal muscle
connects bones and are used for complex coordinated activities
smooth muscle
surround internal organs (large and small intestine) and large blood vessels, regulates blood
pressure and flow, forms sphincters and produces contractions
cardiac muscle
striated muscle of the heart, beats on its own, have a single nucleus, high in myoglobin and
mitochondria, have intercalated discs (conduct action potentials)
Properties of muscular tissue
excitability, contractility, extensibility, elasticity
isometric contraction
muscle develops tension but does not shorten, flexing
isotonic contraction
muscle shortens because muscle tension exceeds load, there is movement
eccentric isotonic contraction
lengthening of a muscle during a contraction, lowering the dumbbell
concentric isotonic contraction
muscle shortens and pulls on another structure, curl the dumbbell
skeletal muscle functions
, Produce skeletal movement
Maintain body position
Support soft tissues
Guard openings
Maintain body temperature
Store nutrient reserves
Skeletal Muscle connective tissues
epimysium, perimysium, endomysium
Epimysium
separates muscles from surrounding tissue
Perimysium
surrounds muscle fiber bundles (fascicles)
Endomysium
surrounds each individual muscle fiber
slow oxidative fibers
contract slowly, have slow acting myosin ATPases, and are fatigue resistant, red color, help
maintain posture, high amount in myoglobin
fast glycolytic fibers
contract quickly, have fast myosin ATPase, intermediate fibers, fairly fatigue resistant, also red
fast oxidative glycolytic fibers
largest fibers that fatigue very easily, high levels of glycogen and low levels of mitochondria and
myoglobin, white
Transverse tubules (T-tubules)
Transmit action potential through cell
Allow entire muscle fiber to contract simultaneously
Have same properties as sarcolemma
Myofribil
bundles of protein filaments (myofilaments) which are responisble for muscle contraction
sarcoplasmic reticulum
