voluntary muscle

MUSCLES that is under conscious control, e.g. those operating the skeleton. It consists of bundles of elongated fibres surrounded by CONNECTIVE TISSUE . A TENDON at the end of the muscle attaches it to the BONE . Each muscle fibre comprises smaller fibres (myofibrils) with alternating dark and light bands (sarcomeres), which produce the striated appearance and provide the contractile function. A flexor (or agonist) muscle contracts, becoming shorter and thus moving bones closer to each other. An extensor or antagonist muscle works in the opposite way.