Intrafusal muscle fibers (or intrafusal muscle fibres) are skeletal muscle fibers that comprise the muscle spindle and are innervated by gamma motor neurons. These fibers are a proprioceptor that detect the amount and rate of change of length in a muscle. These fibers are walled off from the rest of the muscle by a collagen sheath. This sheath has a spindle or "fusiform" shape, hence the name "intrafusal."
There are two types of intrafusal muscle fibers: nuclear bag and nuclear chain fibers. They bear two types of sensory ending, known as annulospiral and flower-spray endings.
Intrafusal muscle fibers are not to be confused with extrafusal muscle fibers, which are innervated by alpha motor neurons and contract, generating skeletal movement.
It is by the sensory information from these two intrafusal fiber types that one is able to judge the position of their muscle, and the rate at which it is changing.
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