lihasest

Lihasest is a term occasionally used in Estonian-language writing to refer to muscle tissue or material derived from muscle. It is not part of standard medical terminology; the established term for muscle tissue is lihaskude. When encountered, lihasest is typically used in informal or topical contexts to signal a focus on muscular material, rather than to denote a precise anatomical category in formal anatomy.

In biology, muscle tissue consists of elongated cells called muscle fibers, organized into fascicles and wrapped by connective tissue. There are three main muscle types: skeletal muscles (voluntary, striated), cardiac muscle (in the heart), and smooth muscle (in walls of organs). Skeletal muscles are composed of myofibrils containing actin and myosin filaments, which slide past one another to produce contraction triggered by nerve impulses and regulated by calcium ions and ATP.

Muscle tissue functions include movement, posture maintenance, and heat production. It adapts to use: resistance training promotes hypertrophy, increasing fiber size; endurance training enhances oxidative capacity. With aging or inactivity, muscle mass and strength can decline, a condition known as sarcopenia. Nutrition, especially sufficient protein intake and overall energy, supports muscle maintenance and growth.

Clinically, muscle tissue is involved in a range of conditions, from dystrophies and inflammations to metabolic disorders. Advances in myology study the cellular processes of muscle development, repair, and function, including satellite cells and signaling pathways such as mTOR. In everyday language, lihasest might appear in discussions of meat science or sports nutrition, though precise terminology would use lihaskude rather than a general term like lihasest.