Figure 1:

Overview of skeletal muscle as a composite tissue. Structural hierarchy proceeds from the smallest level of the myofibril which is grouped inside a muscle fiber. The fiber is grouped into fascicles which is grouped into the whole muscle. In terms of connective tissue, the smallest level is the endomysium, surrounding the muscle fiber, which are then grouped into fascicles, surrounded by perimysium, which is grouped into the whole muscle, surrounded by epimysium. Perimysial cables are interspersed throughout the perimysium although their organization is not fully understood. In reality, these three levels of connective tissue are differentiated by anatomy more than function or composition. (Figure courtesy of Battista Illustration).