90 



THE MUSCLE TISSUES 



and nerve fibers as well as the larger blood vessels and nerve trunks 

 are supported in the connective-tissue networks surrounding the 

 individual fibers and the fiber bundles. 



Internal 

 perimysium 



Sarcolemma 



■Endomysium 



Fig. 49. — Diagram of a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers. 



Individual fibers may be observed in fresh skeletal muscle by 

 teasing with needles, but it is difficult to find uninjured ends of 

 such fibers. In fixed and stained preparations, fibers are seen to 



Fig. 50. — Photograph of a cross-section of skeletal nmsclc n\ the turtle, showing fibers 

 surrounded by endomysium. Capillaries may be seen between some fibers. 



end in various ways. Some are rounded and blunt, others tai)er oft" 

 within their comiectivc-tissue sheath, which becomes continuous 

 with other sheaths to which the fiber attaches within the nniscle or 



