Which connective tissue surrounds an individual muscle fiber?

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

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how skeletal muscle is organized into layers of connective tissue, each with a specific level of organization. The endomysium is the thin connective tissue that surrounds each individual muscle fiber. It sits between the sarcolemma (the muscle fiber’s own membrane) and neighboring fibers, providing a small extracellular space through which capillaries and nerves reach every fiber and enabling metabolic exchange. This layer helps hold the fibers together and transmits force as the muscle contracts.

By contrast, the epimysium encloses the entire muscle, and the perimysium surrounds groups of fibers called fascicles. The sarcolemma is the plasma membrane of the muscle fiber itself, not a connective tissue sheath around the fiber.