Which connective tissue layer surrounds fascicles (groups of muscle fibers)?

• A. Endomysium
• B. Perimysium
• C. Epimysium
• D. Tendon

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how skeletal muscle is organized into layers of connective tissue that wrap different structural units. A fascicle is a bundle of muscle fibers, and the connective tissue layer that surrounds that bundle is the perimysium. The perimysium provides a protective sheath for the fibers inside the fascicle and carries larger blood vessels and nerves that service those fibers, helping coordinate force and nutrition for the bundle. Inside the fascicle, each individual muscle fiber is wrapped by the endomysium, while the entire muscle is wrapped by the epimysium. The tendon, on the other hand, is the continuation of these connective tissue layers that attaches the muscle to bone, not a layer around the fascicle.