part of part of cell cell of skeletal muscle A somatic cell located in skeletal muscle. FMA:9727 ZFA:0009115 https://cellxgene.cziscience.com/cellguide/CL_0000188 cell of skeletal muscle CALOHA:TS-2158 skeletal muscle cell BTO:0004392 Skeletal muscle cells, or myocytes, are essential for the musculoskeletal system, featuring a striated appearance from tightly packed sarcomeres. These elongated, multi-nucleated cells convert ATP into mechanical energ and are key for voluntary movement and posture. They also are responsible for maintaining body temperature, storing nutrients, and stabilizing joints. Skeletal muscle cells organize themselves tightly into bundles to form muscle fibers. Embedded within each of these cells are thousands of myofibrils, which are made up of the contractile proteins, actin (the thin filament), and myosin (the thick filament). Contraction of a skeletal muscle cell occurs when these myofibrils shorten, a process driven by the sliding of actin and myosin filaments over each other in a mechanism famously known as the sliding filament theory. Additionally, skeletal muscle cells exhibit a high degree of plasticity, which allows for their adaptation in response to alterations in functional demands or damages. They have an innate regenerative capacity due to the presence of satellite cells—quiescent muscle stem cells that reside within the muscle fibers. Upon muscle injury, these satellite cells become activated, proliferate, and differentiate into new muscle cells, thereby contributing to the repair and growth of injured skeletal muscle. With this, skeletal muscle cells serve not only a pivotal biomechanical function but also possess a great capacity for self-healing and regeneration. (This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.) eukaryotic cell Homo sapiens skeletal muscle tissue