Functional+Characteristics+of+Muscle+Tissue

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=Functional Characteristics= Muscle tissues have some qualities which allow them to perform properly. These functional characteristics are:

__**Excitability**__—is also called responsiveness or irritability. Excitability is the ability to receive and react to stimuli from changes in the environment. This functional characteristic can be observed when acetycholine travels down the t-tubules and sarcoplasmic reticulum causing calcium to be released.


 * __Contractility__**—is the ability to shorten with force and acuteness when stimulated. This characteristic makes muscle tissue different from other body tissue. Muscle contractions allow people to all activities like walking, talking, and eating. Small contractions occur all the time which results in muscle tone.

__**Elasticity**__—is the muscle fiber’s ability to retract and return to its original resting length after being stretched.


 * __Extendibility__** —is the ability of muscle tissue to be stretched. Muscles can be stretched when tissues are relaxed.

=Muscle Functions= Muscle tissues achieve four functions essential to humans.

__**Producing Movement**__: The contraction of various muscles is responsible for all body movements and keep the body alive. Muscle contractions create differing strengths of movements; they allow people to move their eyes, throw a ball, or run. Muscles cause the heart to beat and propel substances through organs.


 * __Maintaining Posture__**: Muscles continuously work and shift in order to maintain body posture. The strength of peoples’ muscles allow them to sit up straight or stand tall.

__**Stabilizing Joints**__: Muscles pull on bones to produce movement. When muscles move bones they also stabilize joints by retaining tension.

__**Generating Heat**__: Contraction of muscle tissues produce heat. This heat is crucial to the livelihood of the body (to maintain normal temperature). The skeletal muscle group produces the most heat because it makes up forty percent of the body’s muscle mass.

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