Introduction To The Muscular System - SEER Training

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4. Muscular System

• Anatomy & Physiology
  • Intro to the Human Body
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    • Classification of Bones
    • Divisions of the Skeleton
      • Axial Skeleton (80 bones)
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  • Muscular System
    • Structure of Skeletal Muscle
    • Muscle Types
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      • Head and Neck
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      • Upper Extremity
      • Lower Extremity
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• Module (Cancer As a Disease)

The muscular system is composed of specialized cells called muscle fibers. Their predominant function is contractibility. Muscles, attached to bones or internal organs and blood vessels, are responsible for movement. Nearly all movement in the body is the result of muscle contraction. Exceptions to this are the action of cilia, the flagellum on sperm cells, and amoeboid movement of some white blood cells.

The integrated action of joints, bones, and skeletal muscles produces obvious movements such as walking and running. Skeletal muscles also produce more subtle movements that result in various facial expressions, eye movements, and respiration.

In addition to movement, muscle contraction also fulfills some other important functions in the body, such as posture, joint stability, and heat production. Posture, such as sitting and standing, is maintained as a result of muscle contraction. The skeletal muscles are continually making fine adjustments that hold the body in stationary positions. The tendons of many muscles extend over joints and in this way contribute to joint stability. This is particularly evident in the knee and shoulder joints, where muscle tendons are a major factor in stabilizing the joint. Heat production, to maintain body temperature, is an important by-product of muscle metabolism. Nearly 85 percent of the heat produced in the body is the result of muscle contraction.

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Structure of Skeletal Muscle

Suggested Citation

SEER Training Modules: Introduction to the Muscular System. U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. Cited 06 February 2026. Available from: https://training.seer.cancer.gov.

Glossary Term