A historical perspective on the morphology of normal and pathological striated muscle

Striated muscles are fundamental components of the human body, playing a central role in motor function. Since antiquity, muscle structure and function have been subjects of inquiry, initially grounded in descriptive anatomical observations. Only with scientific progress and the development of new investigative tools-particularly microscopy-did the histological study of muscle begin to evolve into its current form. The histological examination of normal striated muscle has been instrumental in identifying key pathological features of neuromuscular disorders. Beginning with pivotal discoveries in the 19th century, followed by significant advances throughout the 20th century, our present understanding of myopathology has been shaped by this cumulative progress. Notably, muscle biopsy-now a routine diagnostic procedure in suspected myopathies-has played a critical role in these developments. This review presents a systematic approach that effectively illustrates the key steps in the histological analysis of normal and pathological striated muscle.