Anatomio

Human body system

Muscular system

The engine of movement: more than 600 muscles working across joints to move, stabilize, breathe, and generate heat.

Atlas noteSkeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle share the ability to contract, but each serves a distinct role.

Human anatomy / muscular system

Map the muscles of the body

2 views · 13 structures
100%
Anterior view · superficial & deepHead → foot

Dissection guide: the subject’s right side shows mainly superficial anatomy; the left exposes deeper structures. Several muscles are cut or removed in this teaching plate. These are fixed views, not switchable tissue layers.

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MuscleTendon / fascia
Select a region or use the structure list. Zoom in, then scroll to inspect details.

System overview

How the muscular system works

Muscles transform chemical energy into force. Skeletal muscles attach to bones through tendons and usually cross one or more joints. When a muscle contracts, its fibers shorten and pull its attachment points closer together.

Muscles rarely act alone. Agonists produce a movement, antagonists oppose it, and synergists refine or stabilize the action. This coordination is controlled by the nervous system and informed by continuous sensory feedback.

40%approximate share of body mass
3types of muscle tissue
600+skeletal muscles

Three types of muscle

Skeletal muscle

Voluntary, striated tissue that moves the skeleton and helps maintain posture.

Cardiac muscle

Specialized involuntary tissue found only in the heart, built for rhythmic endurance.

Smooth muscle

Involuntary tissue in the walls of organs and vessels, controlling flow and internal movement.