Experim Gross AnAtomy of the

musculAr system

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 Experim Gross AnAtomy of the
musculAr system

Gross Anatomy of the

Muscular System
Laszlo Vass,
Ed.D Version 42-
0012-01-01
L ab RepoRt assistant
This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal laboratory report.
The Lab Report Assistant is simply a summary of the experiment’s questions,
diagrams if needed, and data tables that should be addressed in a formal lab
report. The intent is to facilitate students’ writing of lab reports by providing
this information in an editable file which can be sent to an instructor.

Exercise 1: Muscles of the

Head and Neck
obseRvations

Data Table 1: Movement(s) performed by each muscle for

Figures 3-4.
Muscle Movement(s) Performed
Example: Deltoid Example: Abducts the arm
Frontalis Raises eyebrows
Levator Scapulae Tilts head back
Masseter Elevates mandible
Obicularis oris Movement of lips
Occipitalis Facial movements
Orbicularis oculi Close eyelids
Platysma Depresses the lower jaw
Splenius capitis Head extension/ lateral flexion & rotation of the cervical
spine
Sternocleidomastoi Flexes the neck/ extends the head
d
Supraspinatus Abduction of the arm at the shoulder joint
Trapezius Move the scapulae/ support the arm
Zygomaticus Raises the corners of the mouth when a person smiles

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Questions eXeRCise 1
A. List a muscle shown in Figures 3 and 4 that is a prime mover/agonist for
pivoting the head.
Levator scapulae

B. List one prime mover/agonist for extension of the head.

Splenius capitis

C. List one muscle that is the prime mover/agonist for depression of the
mandible and list one muscle that is the antagonist for depression of the
mandible.
Masseter

D. List one muscle that is a prime mover for smiling.

Zygomaticus

E. List one muscle that raises your eyebrow as if you were questioning what someone
said.
Fronatlis

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Exercise 2: Muscles of the Trunk

obseRvations

Data Table 2: Movement(s) performed by each muscle for Figures

5 through 7.
Muscle Movement(s) Performed
Deltoid Abducts the arm
External intercostal muscles Cause expansion of chest cavity during inhalation
External oblique Pulls chest downwards & compress the abdominal
cavity
Rotate the arm & stabilize the shoulder joint
Infraspinatis
Internal intercostal muscles Aids in elevating the ribs in inspiration- only used in
forceful inhalation
Latissimus dorsi Extension, adduction, transverse extension& medial
rotation of shoulder
Flexion of humerus, adduction of humerus, rotates
Pectoralis major humerus medially, keeps the arm attached to the
trunk of the body
Pectoralis minor Depresses the point of the shoulder
Rectus abdominis (under Controls tilt of pelvis & curvature of the lower
fascia) spine
Holds the scapula on to the ribcage/ retract the
Rhomboid major scapula
Holds the scapula on to the ribcage/ retract the
Rhomboid minor
scapula
Serratus anterior Pull the scapula forward around the thorax
Draws the lower ribs backward & downward to assist in
Serratus posterior rotation & extension of the trunk

Subscapularis Rotates the head of the humerus medially

Supraspinatus Abduction of the arm at the shoulder joint
Medial rotator & adductor of the humerus and assists
Teres major the latissimus dorsi in drawing the previously raised
humerus downward & backward
Move the scapulae/ support the arm
Trapezius

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Questions eXeRCise 2
A. List one muscle shown in Figures 5 through 7 that is a prime
mover/agonist for adducting the arms.
Pectoralis major

B. List one shoulder muscle that abducts the arm.

Deltoid

C. Which muscle is the prime mover for shoulder flexion (upper arm moving toward the
ear)?

Deltoid

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D. List one antagonist for shoulder flexion.

Latissimus dorsi

E. What are the muscles between the ribs called? What do they do?
Intercostals- aid in movement of chest cavity during breathing

Exercise 3: Muscles of the Upper Body

obseRvations

Data Table 3: Movement(s) performed by each muscle for

Figures 8-10.
Muscle Movement(s) Performed
Anconeus Extension of elbow
Biceps brachii Flexes the forearm & supinates the hand
Brachialis Forearm flexor
Brachioradialis Forearm flexor
Coracobrachialis Draws the humerus forward & toward the torso
Extensor carpi radialis Extends and abducts the wrist
longus
Extensor carpi radialis Extends and abducts the wrist
brevis
Extensor digitorum Extends the wrist & digits
communis
Flexor carpi radialis Power wrist flexor & abductor
Flexor carpi ulnaris Flex & adduct the hand
Rotate the arm & stabilize the shoulder joint
Infraspinatus

Palmaris longus Weak wrist flexor; tenses skin of the palm

Pronator teres Pronates the hand
Help hold the humeral head in the glenoid cavity of
Teres minor
the scapula- part of rotator cuff
Triceps brachii Elbow extensor

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Questions eXeRCise 3
A. List three agonist muscles that flex
the elbow.
Biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis

B. List one antagonist for elbow

flexion.
Triceps

C. List two muscles that flex the wrist and allow a human to make a fist.
Flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris

D. List two muscles that allow extension of the wrist and flaring of the fingers.
Extensor carpi radialis longus & extensor carpi radialis brevis

E. List one muscle that allows supination of the hand and one muscle that
allows pronation of the hand.

Biceps brachii & pronator teres

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Exercise 4: Muscles of the Lower Body

obseRvations

Data Table 4: Movement(s) performed by each muscle for

Figures 11-12.
Muscle Movement(s) Performed
Adductor longus Hip adduction, flexion
Biceps femoris Knee flexion
Gastrocnemius Plantar flexing the foot at the ankle & leg at the knee
joint
Main hip extensor
Gluteus maximus
Gluteus medius Hip abduction
Gluteus minimus Hip abduction
Gracilis Adducts & flexes hip/ aids in knee flexion
Pectineus Hip flexion
Piriformis Laterally rotates the femur with hip extension and abducts
the femur with hip flexion
Psoas major Hip flexor
Psoas minor Hip flexor
Quadratus femoris External rotator and adductor of the thigh
Quadratus lumborum Lateral flexion of vertebral column; extension of
lumbar vertebral column; fixes the 12th rib during
Rectus femoris forced expiration; elevates ilium
Knee extension
Sartorius Flexing, adduction/ abduction & lateral rotation of hip/
flexion of knee
Semimembranosus Extend the hip joint and flex the knee joint
Semiteninosus Extend the hip joint and flex the knee joint
Soleus Maintains standing posture/ plantar flexion of the
foot
Hip flexor
Tensor fascia latae
Tibialis anterior Dorsiflex and invert the foot
Vastus lateralis Stabilizes patella/ extends the leg at the knee to a
straightened position
Vastus medialis Stabilizes patella/ provides stable leg extension at
the knee

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Questions eXeRCise 4
A. List one muscle that performed extension
of the hip.
Gluteus maximus

B. Which muscle extends the knee and

flexes the thigh?
Rectus femoris

C. List one muscle that dorsiflexes the foot.

Gastrocnemius

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D. Which three muscles extend the thigh and

flex the knee?
Semimembranosus, semitendinosus,
sartorius

E. List three muscles that abduct the leg.

Gluteus medius, gluteus minimus,
adductor longus

Overview
Prepare tables similar to Data Tables 5 and 6 below to record
your observations. Label Figures 13a and 13b in Data Tables 5
and 6.

Data Table: 5 - Figure

13a
Number Muscle
1 Deltoid
2 Subscapularis
3 Pectoralis major
4 Biceps brachii
5 Brachialis
6 Brachioradialis
7 Rectus abdominis
8 Pronator teres
9 External oblique
10 Psoas minor
11 Adductor longus
12 Rectus femoris
13 Tibialis anterior

Figure 13a: Anterior muscles of the human body

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Data Table: 6 - Figure

13b
Numbe Muscle
r 1 Levator scapulae
2 Trapezius
3 Splenius capitis
4 Deltoid
5 Rhomboid minor
6 Brachialis
7 Brachioradialis
8 Latissimus dorsi
9 Gluteus maximus
10 Quadratus femoris
11 Semimembranosus
12 Semitendinosus
13 Gastrocnemius
14 Soleus

Figures 13b: Posterior muscles of the human body

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Exercise 5: Identification and Dissection of

Cat
Muscles
A. Match the muscles on the left with its function or description on the right

Answer Item Description

F 1. Pectoralis Major A. Extends the leg
D 2. Brachioradialis B. Flexes the foot
J 3. Mylohyoid C. Adducts the arm
A 4. Vastus Lateralis D. Supinates the hand
B 5. Soleus E. Flexes the fingers
C 6. Acromiodeltoid F. Flexes the forelimb
G 7. Triceps Brachii G. Extends the arm
I 8. Levator Scapulae H. Flexes the leg
H Ventralis
9. Biceps Femoris I. Elevates and adducts the
E 10. Palmaris Longus scapula
J. Raises the floor of the
mouth

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Questions

A. Explain the structural difference between the deltoid and trapezius

muscles found in the cat versus the human.
Humans have a single deltoid muscle, cats have three deltoid muscles. The trapezius is also one
single muscle
in humans and three separate muscles in cats.

B. Compare the cat and human muscles of the thigh and lower leg. Why
are their structural differences in these muscles?
There are structural differences in these muscles because they move differently than the human
variation.

C. Cats have additional, arm, chest and upper leg muscles that humans do
not have. Propose a reason for these differences.
Cats require these extra muscles in their arms, chest and upper legs because they are mobile on
four limbs
as opposed to the two limbs humans move on. Cats need to have more strength in their arms and chest to
support the
rest of their body weight as most of the pressure is put on their arms and legs.

Conclusions
Why can’t individual muscles work all by themselves to produce a movement?
Muscles need to work in pairs to produce steady movements. Individual muscles
need to connect to something else in order to actually produce a functional movement.

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