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In vertebrates, the force of a muscle contraction is controlled by the number of activated motor units. The number of muscle fibers within each unit can vary within a particular muscle and even more from muscle to muscle: the muscles that act on the largest body masses have motor units that contain more muscle fibers, whereas smaller muscles ...
The muscle fibers belonging to one motor unit can be spread throughout part, or most of the entire muscle, depending on the number of fibers and size of the muscle. [2] [3] When a motor neuron is activated, all of the muscle fibers innervated by the motor neuron are stimulated and contract. The activation of one motor neuron will result in a ...
These attach to and control discrete bundles of muscle fibers. A coordinated and fine-tuned response to a specific circumstance will involve controlling the precise number of motor units used. While individual muscle units' contract as a unit, the entire muscle can contract on a predetermined basis due to the structure of the motor unit.
Muscle synergies are noted in parentheses when relevant. O (Occurrences) Number of times that the named muscle row occurs in a standard human body. Here it may also be denoted when a given muscles only occurs in a male or a female body. By (F) for female and (M) for male, if nothing is denoted. The muscle can be assumed to occur in both genders.
A motor pool consists of all individual motor neurons that innervate a single muscle. Each individual muscle fiber is innervated by only one motor neuron, but one motor neuron may innervate several muscle fibers. This distinction is physiologically significant because the size of a given motor pool determines the activity of the muscle it ...
The parallel muscle architecture is found in muscles where the fibers are parallel to the force-generating axis. [1] These muscles are often used for fast or extensive movements and can be measured by the anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA). [3] Parallel muscles can be further defined into three main categories: strap, fusiform, or fan-shaped.
The motor part of the spindle is provided by motor neurons: up to a dozen gamma motor neurons also known as fusimotor neurons. [4] These activate the muscle fibres within the spindle. Gamma motor neurons supply only muscle fibres within the spindle, whereas beta motor neurons supply muscle fibres both within and outside of the spindle.
A neuromuscular junction (or myoneural junction) is a chemical synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber. [1] It allows the motor neuron to transmit a signal to the muscle fiber, causing muscle contraction. [2] Muscles require innervation to function—and even just to maintain muscle tone, avoiding atrophy.