epimysium

[New Latin epimȳsium : EPI- + Greek mūs, muscle.]

A layer of connective tissue, mainly collagen, surrounding an entire muscle. The epimysium provides a smooth surface against which other muscles can slide.

The external sheath of connective tissue surrounding a muscle.

The fibrous sheath around an entire skeletal muscle.

Epimysium
Structure of a skeletal muscle. (Epimysium labeled at bottom center.)
Gray's	subject #103 373

Epimysium is a layer of connective tissue which ensheaths the entire muscle. It is composed of dense irregular connective tissue. It is continuous with fascia and other connective tissue wrappings of muscle including the endomysium, and perimysium. It is also continuous with tendons where it becomes thicker and collagenous. The Epimysium also protects muscles from friction against other muscles and bones. Plural of epimysium is epimysia^[1]

Aponeurosis--where tendon attach to bone.

References

1. ^ "Definition of "Epimysia" from thefreedictionary.com". http://www.thefreedictionary.com/epimysia. Retrieved on 2008-05-29. 

External links

• Epimysium at eMedicine Dictionary

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v • d • e Histology: muscle tissue Striated muscle Skeletal muscle Costamere/ DAPC Membrane/ extracellular DAP: Sarcoglycan (SGCA, SGCB, SGCD, SGCE, SGCG, SGCZ) · Dystroglycan Sarcospan · Laminin, alpha 2 Intracellular Dystrophin · Dystrobrevin (A, B) · Syntrophin (A, B1, B2, G1, G2) · Syncoilin · Dysbindin · Synemin/desmuslin related: NOS1 · Caveolin 3 General Neuromuscular junction · Motor unit · Muscle spindle · Excitation-contraction coupling · Sliding filament mechanism Cardiac muscle Myocardium · Intercalated disc · Nebulette General Connective tissue Epimysium · Fascicle · Perimysium · Endomysium Fiber Muscle fiber (intrafusal, extrafusal) · Myofibril · Microfilament/Myofilament Sarcomere/ (a, i, and h bands; z and m lines) Myofilament (thin filament/actin, thick filament/myosin, elastic filament/titin, nebulin) Tropomyosin Troponin (T, C, I) Cells Myoblast/Myocyte · Satellite cell Other Desmin · Sarcoplasm · Sarcolemma (T-tubule) · Sarcoplasmic reticulum Smooth muscle Calmodulin · Vascular smooth muscle Other/ ungrouped Myotilin · Telethonin · Dysferlin · Fukutin · Fukutin-related protein

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