Anatomy study note · Lower limb

Semimembranosus

A medial hamstring whose insertion expands as the oblique popliteal ligament on the back of the knee.

Key points

• Ischial tuberosity → medial tibial condyle.
• Oblique popliteal ligament = its expansion.
• Tibial part of the sciatic nerve.
• Semimembranosus bursa: commonest popliteal swelling.
• Limb muscles: in situ from limb-bud mesenchyme.
• Upper limb bud C4–T2; lower limb bud L2–S2.
• Skeletal muscle: multinucleated, peripheral nuclei, striated.
• Epimysium → perimysium → endomysium.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Origin · Insertion · Action · Nerve supply · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 1328, 1334–1335
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 7, PDF p. 109; ch. 10, PDF pp. 142–145
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 8, PDF pp. 135–144

More from the lower limb

• Semitendinosus
• Short lateral rotators of the hip
• Small saphenous vein
• Sole muscles: first layer
• Sole muscles: second layer
• Sole muscles: third layer
• Soleus
• Superficial fibular nerve
• Sural nerve
• Tarsal bones
• Tarsal joints and arches of the foot
• Tendo calcaneus

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