Muscle Tissue Specialized for contraction Elongated cells 3 types of muscle: skeletal, cardiac, smooth
Organization of Skeletal Muscle Sarcolemma = muscle cell membranes Sarcoplasm = cytoplasm Sarcoplasmic reticulum = endoplasmic reticulum Muscle cell = muscle fiber (not like a CT fiber)
Skeletal Muscle (voluntary, striated) longitudinal section Long, cylindrical shaped cells Nuclei are multiple and peripherally located Striated (striped) appearance due to banding pattern: A band, I band, Z line, H band.
Sarcomere – the basic contractile unit of skeletal muscle; extends from Z-line to Z-line
Myofilaments = the contractile elements of skeletal muscle; = myosin (thick filaments) and actin (thin filaments) actin myosin
Motor end plate – the region of sarcolemma contacted by the axon terminals of a motor neuron. higher power
Neuromuscular Junction – the site of neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) release
Skeletal Muscle (cross-section) low power higher power
Cardiac Muscle - Striated Single, large, oval, centrally located nucleus Branched cells Intercalated disks = specialized end-to-end junctions
Cardiac Muscle (longitudinal sections) intercalated disk striated, branching cells
Intercalated Disks - anchor myofibrils and permit fast transmission of contractions; consist of 3 components:
Lots of Mitochondria (tiny black dots) in Cardiac Muscle
Purkinje Fibers - large, modified cardiac muscle cells; - transmit electrical impulses to cardiac muscle.
Smooth Muscle (involuntary) - Forms the walls of hollow organs and bodily tubes - Important in sphincters, peristalsis, blood pressure regulation. – Activated by autonomic nervous system and hormones. longitudinal section
Smooth Muscle Cells are fusiform in shape – round at center and tapered at ends. A single nucleus, centrally located. When contracted, nuclei may have a corkscrew appearance. No striations – actin & myosin present but not regularly arranged in a repeated pattern. Cells connected to each other by gap junctions that allow conduction of impulses and contraction from one cell to another.
Smooth Muscle (top: cross-section; bottom: longitudinal section)
Summary of the 3 Muscle Types