Muscle fiber, the long, cylindrical cells that make up muscle tissue, is spelled with the phonetic transcription /ˈmʌsəl ˈfaɪbər/. The first syllable is pronounced with a short u sound followed by the consonant s, which represents the letter c in the spelling. The second syllable begins with the sound f, spelled with the letter f, and is followed by the diphthong ai, which is represented by the letters y and ber at the end of the word. The spelling and pronunciation of muscle fiber are important in anatomy and physiology, where precise terminology is essential for communication among professionals.
Muscle fibers, also known as myofibers, refer to the individual cells that make up a muscle tissue. These cells are long, cylindrical, and contain many nuclei. The main function of muscle fibers is to generate force and cause movement through contraction.
Muscle fibers are classified into three main types: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. Skeletal muscle fibers are the most common type, constituting the skeletal muscles responsible for voluntary movements. They are multinucleated and typically have a striated appearance, meaning they contain alternating dark and light banding patterns under a microscope.
Cardiac muscle fibers are found exclusively in the heart and are responsible for generating cardiac contractions. They are also striated and have a single nucleus. Unlike skeletal muscle fibers, the contractions of cardiac muscles are involuntary.
Smooth muscle fibers are non-striated and found in a variety of organs throughout the body, including the digestive tract, blood vessels, and uterus. They are tapered at each end and have a single nucleus. Contractions of smooth muscles are also involuntary and play a role in processes such as digestion and blood flow regulation.
Muscle fibers are made up of myofibrils, which are composed of even smaller structures called sarcomeres. The contraction of muscle fibers occurs when sarcomeres shorten in response to electrical signals from the nervous system.
In conclusion, muscle fibers are the fundamental units of muscle tissue responsible for generating force and movement. They come in different types and structures, each tailored to fulfill specific functions within the body.
One of the long cylindrical fibers, an inch or more in length and about 1/500 inch in diameter, composing voluntary muscular tissue.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "muscle" comes from the Latin word "musculus", which means "little mouse". This term was originally used because the Romans believed that contracting muscles resembled the movement of little mice. The word "fiber", on the other hand, has its roots in the Latin word "fibra", meaning "thread" or "filament". Therefore, "muscle fiber" is essentially a combination of these two terms, describing the thread-like or filamentous structures that make up muscles.