Skeletal Muscle:  1-40 cm long fibres, 10- 60 µm thick, according to myoglobin content there are:

Red fibres: lots of myoglobin, many mitochondriam slow twitching - tire slowly

White fibres:  less myoglobin,  less mitochondria, fast twitching - tire quickly

Intermediate fibres:

mixture of 2 above

Most muscles have all three - in varying ratios

Structure of skeletal muscle:

Light Microscopy:  Many nuclei - 35/mm,  Nuclei are oval - situated peripheral,  Dark and light bands

Electron Microscopy: Two types of myofilaments

Actin

- 5,6 nm

 3 components:

 -actin monomers,  

 -tropomyosin - 7 actin molecules long

- troponin

 actin monomers form 2 threats that spiral

- tropomyosin - lie in the groove of the spiral

- troponin - attach every 40 nm

- one end attach to the Z line

- other end goes to the middle of the sarcomere

- Z line consists of á actinin

Myosin:

- 15 nm

- 1,6 µm long

- The molecule has a head and a tail

- tails are parallel

- heads project in a spiral

- in the middle is a thickening

- thin threats bind the myosin at thickening (M line)

Contraction:

A - band stays the same, I - band, H - bands become narrower

Myosin heads ratchet on the actin molecule

Sarcolemma: 9 nm thick,  invaginate to form T-tubule,

 myofibrils - attach to the sarcolemma

Sarcoplasmic Reticulum:

specialized smooth EPR,  Consists of T-tubules, terminal sisternae and sarcotubules

It is speculated that there are gap junctions between the T-tubule and terminal sisterna

An impulse is carried into the fiber by the T-tubule from where it goes to the rest of the sarcoplasmic reticulum

Connective tissue coverings of the muscle

Endomycium around fibres, perimycium around bundles and epimycium around the whole muscle

Blood vessels and nerves in CT

CT goes over into tendon or aponeurosis which attaches to the periosteum

Nerves:

The axon of a motor neuron branches and ends in motor end plates on the fiber

Specialized striated fibres called spindles (stretch receptors) form sensory receptors in muscles telling the brain how far the muscle has stretched

• This is the posterior curtain-like part, and has no bony support. It does, however, contain a membranous aponeurosis.
• The soft palate, or velum palatinum (L. velum, veil), is a movable, fibromuscular fold that is attached to the posterior edge of the hard palate.
• It extends posteroinferiorly to a curved free margin from which hangs a conical process, the uvula (L. uva, grape).

• The soft palate separates the nasopharynx superiorly and the oropharynx inferiorly.

• During swallowing the soft palate moves posteriorly against the wall of the pharynx, preventing the regurgitation of food into the nasal cavity.

• Laterally, the soft palate is continuous with the wall of the pharynx and is joined to the tongue and pharynx by the palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal folds.

• The soft palate is strengthened by the palatine aponeurosis, formed by the expanded tendon of the tensor veli palatini muscle.
• This aponeurosis attaches to the posterior margin of the hard palate.

The Pharynx

• The pharynx is the continuation of the digestive system from the oral cavity.
• It is a funnel-shaped fibromuscular tube that is the common route for both food and air.
• The pharynx is located posterior to the nasal and oral cavities, and the larynx.

• For the convenience of description, the pharynx is divided into three parts: (1) the nasopharynx, posterior to the nose and superior to the soft palate; (2) the oropharynx, posterior to the mouth; and (3) the laryngopharynx, posterior to the larynx.

• The pharynx is about 15 cm long.
• It extends from the base of the skull to the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage anteriorly, and to the inferior border of C6 vertebra posteriorly.
• It is widest (about 5 cm) opposite the hyoid bone and narrowest (about 1.5) at its inferior end, where it is continuous with the oesophagus.

• The posterior wall of the pharynx lies against the prevertebral fascia, with the potential retropharyngeal space between them.

•     Part of the axial skeleton; strong, flexible rod
      Supports the head
      Gives base to the ribs
      Encloses the spinal cord
      
  o    Vertebrae
      Consists of 34 bones composing the spinal column
  •    Cervical-7 bones
  •    Thoracic-12 bones
  •    Lumbar-5 bones
  •    Sacral- 5 bones.
  •    Coccygeal-4 to 5 bones

      In the adult the vertebrae of the sacral and coccygeal regions are united into two bones, the sacrum and me coccyx
      
  o    Curvatures-from a lateraI view there are four curves, alternately convex and concave ventrally
      Two convex curves are the cervical and lumbar
      Two concave curves are the thoracic and sacral

  o    Vertebra morphology

      Each vertebra differs in size and shape hut has similar components
      Body-central mass of bone
  •    Weight bearing
  •    Fonns anterior part of the vertebra
  •    Encloses the vertebral foramen
      Pedicles of the arch-two thick columns that extend backward from the body to meet with the laminae of the neural arch 

•     Process (7)
  •    One spinous, two transverse, two superior articular, and two inferior articular
  o    Spinous process extends backward from the point of the union of thetwo laminae
  o    Transverse processes project laterally at either side from the junction of the lamina and the pedicle
  o    Articular processes arise near the junction of the pedicle and the lamina- superior processes project upward:inferior processes project downward
  •    Surfaces of the processes are smooth

  o    Inferior articular processes of the vertebra fit into the superior articular processes below
  o    Form true joints, but the contacts established serve to restrict movement

  Distinguishing features

  Cervical region- triangular shape

  •    All have foramina in the transverse process upper six transmit the vertebral artery
  •    Spinous processes are short
      o    C3 to C5 are bifurcated
      o    C7 is long-prominence felt at the back of the neck
  •    Have small bodies (except for C1 vertebra)
  •    C1 vertebra (atlas)
  o    No body
  o    Anterior and posterior arch and two lateral masses
  o    Superiorarticular processes articulate with the condyles of the occipital bone
  •    C2 vertebra (axis)-process on the upper surface of the body (dens) forms a pivot about which the axis rotates

  Thoracic region

  •    Presence of facets for articulation with the ribs (distinguishing feature)
  •    Processes are larger and heavier than those of the cervical region
  •    Spinous process is directed downward at a sharp angle
  •    Circular vertebral foramen

   Lumbar region
   
  •    Large and heavy bodies
  •    Four transverse lines separate the bodies of the vertebrae on the pelvic surface
  •    Triangular shape-fitted between the  halves of the pelvis
  •    Four pairs of dorsal sacral foramina communicate with four pairs of pelvic sacral foramina

  Sacral vertebrae 
  •    Five (sometimes six) vertebrae are fused in the adult to form the sacrum
  •    The sacrum articulates above with L5, laterally with the hip bones, and inferiorly with the coccyx.
  •    It has a roughly triangular appearance with a pelvic and dorsal surface, a lateral mass on each side, and a base and apex.
  •    An anesthetic for the spinal nerves may be injected extradurally through the sacral hiatus (caudal analgesia)
  •    The sacral canal (which contains the dura, cauda equina, and filum terminale) extends from the base to the sacral hiatus. 
  •    The apex of the sacrum may be fused with the coccyx.

  
  Coccygeal vertebrae

  •    Four to five modular pieces fused together
  •    Triangular shape with the base above and the apex below

  F Defects

  •    Lordosis-exaggerated lumbar concavity
  •    Scoliosis-lateral curvature of any region
  •    Kyphosis-exaggerated convexity in the thoracic region

Tongue 
Appears at 4th week.
Musculature derived from mesoderm of occipital somites.  Precursor muscles cells migrate to region of tongue and are innervated by general sensory efferent fibers of CN XII.
Mucosa derived from anterior endoderm lining arches 1-4; accordingly, innervation depends on arch derivation:
              Mucosa of anterior 2/3 of tongue comes from the first arch -> CN V
              Mucosa of posterior 1/3 of tongue comes from third and forth arch -> CN IX, X
Special taste of anterior 2/3 of tongue comes from CN VII.
Special taste of posterior 1/3 of tongue comes from CN X.
Tongue freed from floor of mouth by extensive degeneration of underlying tissue.  Midline frenulum continues to anchor tongue to floor of mouth.

Thyroid Gland

Develops as in growth of mucosal epithelium located in the midline of the tongue (at foramen cecum).  It descends along front of pharyngeal gut, but remains connected to tongue by thyrooglossal duct, which is obliterated later in development.  Thyroid gland descends to a point just caudal to laryngeal cartilages. 

Facial structures (general)

a) medial nasal prominence forms midline of nose, philtrum and primary palate
b) lateral nasal prominence forms alae of nose
c) maxillary prominence forms cheek region and lateral lip
d) clefts can form at inter-prominence fusion lines

Nose

At the time of anterior neural tube closure, mesenchyme around forebrain, frontonasal prominence (FNP), has smooth rounded extended contour.  Nasal placodes (thickening of surface ectoderm to become peripheral neural tissue) develop on frontolateral aspects of FNP.  Mesenchyme swells around nasal placode producing a medial and lateral nasal prominence (nasomedial and nasolateral processes).  These nasal prominences form the nose.

Mouth 

Stomadeum (primitive oral cavity) forms between frontonasal prominence and first pharyngeal arch.  The first pharyngeal arch forms the dorsal maxillary prominence and ventral mandibular prominence.  The maxillary prominence will merge with medial nasal prominences, pushing them closer to cause fusion.  Fused medial nasal prominences will form midline of nose and midline of upper lip (philtrum) and primary palate (first 4 teeth).

Nasolacrimal structures

Maxillary and lateral nasal prominences are separated by deep furrow, the nasolacrimal groove.  Ectoderm in floor of groove forms epithelial cord, which detaches from overlying ectoderm.  The epithelial cord canalizes to form the nasolacrimal duct.  The upper end of the duct widens to form the lacrimal sac.  After detachment of the cord, the maxillary and lateral nasal prominences merge with each other, resulting in the formation of a nasolacrimal duct that runs from the medial corner of the eye to the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity.  
The maxillary prominences enlarge to form the cheeks and maxillae.
The lateral nasal prominences form the alae of the nose.

Secondary (hard) palate

Main part of definitive palate formed by two palatine shelves derived from intraoral bilateral extensions of the maxillary prominences.  These appear at the 6th week.  They are directed obliquely downward on each side of the tongue; they move down when mandible gets bigger.  
At the seventh week, they ascend to attain a horizontal position, then fuse to form the secondary palate.  At the time the palatine shelves fuse, the nasal septum (an outgrowth of median tissue of the frontonasal prominence) grows down and joins the cephalic aspect of the newly formed palate
Anteriorly, shelves fuse with triangular primary palate.  The incisive foramen marks the midline between the primary and secondary palate.

External Ear

The auricle is derived from 6 auricular hillocks (mesenchymal proliferations) along the dorsal aspect of arches 1 (top of ear) and 2 (bottom of ear).  These fuse to form the definitive auricle.  At the mandible grows, the ear is pushed upward and backward from its initial horizontal position on the neck.
The EAM is derived from the 1st pharyngeal arch.  
The eardrum (tympanic membrane) is composed of 3 layers of cells: 1) ectodermal epithelial lining of bottom of EAM; 2) endodermal epithelium lining of tympanic cavity; 3) intermediate layer of connective tissue.
The eardrum is composed of multiple cell layers because it represents the first pharyngeal membrane, and thus lies at the junction of the first pharyngeal pouch and cleft.

Middle Ear

The middle ear consists of an auditory tube (from the 1st pharyngeal pouch, along with tympanic cavity) and the ossicles (from pharyngeal arches 1 and 2 cartilage).  
The first arch cartilage forms the malleus and incus.  The tensor tympani (muscle of the malleus) is derived from the fourth somitomere (associated with the first arch) and is therefore innervated by CN V.
The second arch cartilage forms the stapes.  The stapedius (muscles of the stapes) is derived from the sixth somitomere (associated with the second arch) and is therefore innervated by CN VII.
The ossicles are initially embedded in mesenchyme, but in the 8th month, the mesenchyme degenerates and an endodermal epithelial lining of the tympanic cavity envelops the ossicles and connects them to the wall of the cavity in a mesentery-like fashion.

Inner Ear

The inner ear is derived thickening of surface ectoderm on both sides of the hindbrain (otic placodes).  The placodes invaginate to form otic vesicles (otocytes).  The vesicles then divide into ventral and dorsal components.
The ventral component forms the saccule and cochlear duct.
The dorsal component forms the utricle and semicircular canals and endolymphatic duct.

Cochlear Duct

Derived from an outgrowth of the saccule during the 6th week.  The outgrowth penetrates the surrounding mesenchyme in a spiral fashion.  The surrounding mesenchyme forms the cartilage and undergoes vacuolization.
The scala vestibule and scale tympani form and surround the cochlear duct.  They are filled with periplymp to receive mechanical vibrations of ossicles. The mechanical stimuli activates sensory (ciliary) cells in the cochlear duct.  

Semicircular canals

The utricle is initially three flattened outpocketings, which lose the central core.  From this three semicircular canals are forms, each at 90 degree angles from one another.  Sensory cells arise in the ampulla at one end of each canal, in the utricle and saccule.