Muscular tissue: Histology, Morphology and function o Tracing its development, skeletal muscle fibers are formed

from myoblasts and are of mesodermal origin

 Purpose and function of muscular tissue o Nucleus is peripherally located and sometimes, multiple
o To induce movement through contractions by basic nuclei can be seen in a single muscle cell
contractile units called SARCOMERES  Types of skeletal muscle fibers
o Sarcoplasm- the cytoplasm of the muscle cell
o Sarcolemma- the plasma membrane of the cell Type IIa/fast
Type IIb/Fast
 Muscular tissue organization Characteristic
Type I/Slow- oxidative
glycolytic
o The muscle is divided into distinct layers, in terms of oxidative fibers glycolytic
fibers
magnification: the smallest layers being the filaments/ fibers
myofilaments Contractile
Slow twitch Fast twitch Fast twitch
o The myofilaments are divided into two groups: speed
 THICK FILAMENTS: Myosin Enzymatic
velocity of Low High High
 THIN FILAMENTS: Actin
myosin ATPase
o Both filaments contribute to the
Major source of Oxidative Oxidative Anaerobic
contraction of the muscle by the ATP phosphorylation phosphorylation glycolysis
interaction between these two. Amount of
 Muscle cells are divided into two principal types: myoglobin and
HIGH (Red HIGH (Red LOW (White
o STRIATED- observed histologically as having cross- fibers) fibers) fibers)
mitochondria
striations Fatigue Resistant (Most
Resistant Prone
o SMOOTH- no cross-striations resistance resistant)
 CONNECTIVE TISSUES THAT SURROUND A SPECIFIC MUSCLE Postural
Major muscles Extraocular
LAYER Location muscles of the
of the legs muscles
o Epimysium- a dense irregular connective tissue that covers back
the entire muscle
o Perimysium- a lesser dense irregular connective tissue that
 Cross striations are the principal histologic features of striated
covers a bundle of fascicles
muscles.
o Endomysium- a delicate layer of reticular fibers that cover a
o Bands that are present in the skeletal muscle
single muscle fiber
 A band- “anisotropic” band- Dark band
 THREE TYPES OF MUSCLE TISSUE
 I band- “isotropic” band- Light band
o Skeletal muscle
 The light I band is bisected by the Z line.
o Cardiac muscle
 Two Z lines constitute the SARCOMERE,
o Smooth muscle
the basic contractile unit of the muscle
 Muscular tissue organization
where the myofilaments are found.
o MUSCLE- composed of multiple bundles of fascicles
 The dark A band is bisected by the H band.
o FASCICLE- composed of multiple bundles of muscle fibers
 The H band is bisected by the M line.
o MUSCLE FIBERS- composed of multiple myofibrils
o MYOFIBRILS- composed of subunits called myofilaments
 MAJOR MYOFILAMENT PROTEINS
o Thick filament-only Myosin II
 SKELETAL MUSCLE CHARACTERISTICS
o Thin filament- Actin, Tropomyosin and troponin
o A multinucleated syncytium (a syncytium is a fusion of
cells)  The thick filament is only found at the central portion of the
sarcomere, while the thin filaments are attached to the Z line.
 o Thin filament proteins:
 G-actin- polymerizes to form the F-actin
 Tropomyosin- it is being regulated by the troponin
complex
 Troponin complex:
 Troponin C- binds calcium and is the
smallest subunit
 Troponin T- binds to tropomyosin
 Troponin I- binds to actin, which inhibits
actin-myosin interaction
o Thick filament proteins:
 MYOSIN II- composed of two polypeptide heavy
chains and four light chains
 ACCESSORY PROTEINS- these maintain precise alignment of thin
and thick filaments
o Titin- prevents excessive stretching of the sarcomere
o Alpha-actinin- an actin-binding protein that anchors them at
the Z line
o Nebulin- supports alpha-actinin anchor thin filaments to the
Z line
o Tropomodulin- regulates the length of the actin filament
o Desmin- forms stabilizing cross-links between neighboring
myofibrils
o Myomesin- holds thick filaments in register at the M line
o C protein- forms several distinct transverse stripes on either
side of the M line
o Dystrophin- ABSENCE OF THIS PROTEIN IS RELATED
TO THE CONDITION CALLED DUCHENNE MUSCULAR
DYSTROPHY
 When a muscle contracts, the sarcomere shortens, but the
myofilaments stay the same length.
 Proprioceptors- sensory receptors that provide the somatic nervous
system with information about the degree of stretching and tension in
a muscle.
 Muscle spindle- specialized stretch receptor located within the
skeletal muscle.
 Satellite cells- these are precursor cells located in the skeletal
muscles that become activated whenever there is injury to the
muscle. These are responsible for the ability of the muscle to
regenerate, but regeneration is limited.
 CARDIAC MUSCLE CHARACTERISTICS
o Characteristic feature is the presence of intercalated disks,
which are specialized attachment sites of individual cardiac
myocytes.
o These intercalated discs are dense cross-bands seen
under the microscope, which represent specialized cell-to-
cell junctions. These are also the point of attachment
between two cells.
o Unlike skeletal muscle, which are multinucleated, cardiac
muscle cells have a single centrally located nucleus.
o It differs from skeletal muscle too because the myofibrils are
not as organized.
o Formed by anastomosis- cardiac myocytes are joined end
on end, therefore exhibiting branching.
o Multiple large mitochondria and glycogen stores are adjacent
to each myofibril, which is used for contraction.
 Cell junctions present in cardiac muscle
o Fascia adherens- these hold the cardiac muscle cells at
their ends to form the functional cardiac muscle fiber
o Macula adherens- reinforces the fascia adherens and
prevents the cells from being pulled apart due to repetitive
rhythmic contractions
o Gap junctions- mediate the transfer of informational
molecules from cell to cell.
 EFFERENT INNERVATION: AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
o Sympathetic nervous system- increases the frequency of
impulses to the cardiac conducting cells
o Parasympathetic nervous system- decreases the
frequency of impulses to the cardiac conducting cells.
 These do not initiate contraction rather, control
the frequency of the impulses.
 SMOOTH MUSCLE CHARACTERISTICS
o NO CROSS STRIATIONS
o Found in hollow organs (e.g. uterus, small intestine), blood
vessels and respiratory airways
o Nuclei is spindle shaped and fusiform in morphology
(tapered)
o Single and centrally located nucleus
 o Cell-to-cell junction: GAP JUNCTION
o INVOLUNTARY

 THIN FILAMENTS- attached to dense bodies

o Actin
o Smooth muscle isoform of tropomyosin
o Caldesmon and calponin, smooth muscle specific proteins

 THICK FILAMENT: MYOSIN II, with slight differences from skeletal

muscle

 PROTEINS ESSENTIAL TO THE REGULATION OF SMOOTH

MUSCLE CONTRACTION
o Myosin light chain kinase- initiates the contraction cycle
o Calmodulin- regulates the intracellular concentration of
calcium
o Alpha-actinin- provides structural component to dense
bodies

 DENSE BODIES- provide attachment sites to thin and intermediate

filaments.

 Contraction in smooth muscles are initiated by:

o Mechanical impulses
o Electrical depolarizations
o Chemical stimuli
 Compared to skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle, whose
contractions are forceful, smooth muscle contraction has a slow and
wavelike characteristic termed as peristalsis or peristaltic
movement.