Despite its complexity, the human body is made of only four types of tissue: epithelial, connective (CT), muscle, and nerve. The cells of these tissues associate with one another to form organs. The study of tissues is called histology.

Muscle_tissue is responsible for locomotion and for the movements of the various parts of the body with respect to one another. There are three categories of muscle tissue: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth_muscle. Another term for skeletal muscle is striated_muscle. Visceral is often used as a synonym for smooth muscle.

Skeletal muscles are associated primarily with the bones of the body and help provide movement from place to place.

Skeletal muscle cells are long and tapered, with many nuclei. They are so long and thin that each cell is referred to as a fiber. Skeletal muscle is voluntary.