All About Skeletal Muscle Cells

The Skeletal Muscle Cell

     Skeletal muscle cells are the cells found in about 40% of the body. Skeletal muscle cells help with the movement of all the muscles in the body. The muscles give the body its shape and maintains posture. They also stabilize joints. Skeletal muscle cells form from smaller cells. This is what makes the muscles striated. Proteins, actin and myosin, in the cells make these stripes called myofibrils that can be seen under a microscope. There are hundreds of these cylindrical structures in each muscle fiber. Myofibrils give muscles the strength to move. Myofibrils are divided into sections called sarcomeres. Z discs, which look like dark stripes, mark the ends of these sarcomeres.

     Skeletal muscle cells are covered by the sarcolemma, a plasma membrane, that help with muscle contraction. Cytoplasm is found in all cells, however the cytoplasm in skeletal muscle cells is called sarcoplasm. The sarcoplasm contains lots of mitochondria, which produces ATP. ATP, or adenosine triphospate, is necessary for muscle contraction. ATP also moves around chromosomes and substances around the cell. It is essential that the many mitochondria in each cell produce a lot of ATP or the muscle cells would not be able to function. Sarcoplasmic reticulum, membrane enclosed tubules like the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, store calcium ions, which is necessary for muscle contraction as well. Transverse tubules look like tunnels and they pass through the muscle fiber. Myoglobin, which is also found in the sarcoplasm, stores oxygen and gives muscles its red/pink pigment.

Works Cited:

    "Muscles- Skeletal, Smooth, and Cardiac." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.

    "Structure of a Muscle Cell." (Muscle Fibre). N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.           

    "Muscle Cell Types." InnerBody. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2015.