This document describes the structure and function of skeletal muscle. It discusses the microscopic structure of muscle fibers, including the sarcolemma, sarcoplasm, myofibrils, actin filaments, myosin filaments, and other components. It explains how muscle contraction occurs through the sliding filament model, where calcium ions trigger the interaction of actin and myosin fibers, causing the sarcomere to shorten. Muscle relaxation is then driven by calcium being pumped back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum, breaking the actin-myosin bond and allowing the sarcomere to lengthen again. Diagrams are provided to illustrate the sarcomere structure and how it changes during contraction and relaxation.