Which connective tissue layer surrounds a skeletal muscle?

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

Answer: (B)

The question tests how skeletal muscles are wrapped by connective tissue at different levels. A skeletal muscle is organized from the inside out: each muscle fiber is enclosed by the endomysium, groups of fibers (fascicles) are wrapped by the perimysium, and the entire muscle is surrounded by the epimysium. The epimysium is dense connective tissue that binds all the fascicles together and helps connect the muscle to tendons. The surrounding fascia is a broader layer that can encase multiple muscles or compartments, not a single muscle itself.

So, the layer that surrounds a skeletal muscle as a whole is the epimysium.