Professional Documents
Culture Documents
MUSCLE TISSUE
Function: muscle tissue is specialized for contraction
1. SKELETAL MUSCLE
Function: contraction - voluntary and rapid
- body movement, muscle tissue in the tongue (speech, mixing of food),
breathing, voice
BASIC MORPHOLOGIC UNIT in LM: multinucleated skeletal muscle fiber with
cross striation. Nuclei are situated below the sarcolemma.
2. CARDIAC MUSCLE
Function: contraction - involuntary; rapid and rhythmic
- in the heart (myocardium)
BASIC MORPHOLOGIC UNIT in LM: cardiac muscle cell (cardiomyocyte) with
cross striation. Nuclei (1-2) are situated in the centre of the cell. Cardiomyocytes
are connected by intercalated discs.
Fig. 2. – longitudinal and transverse section of cardiomyocytes
3. SMOOTH MUSCLE
Function: contraction is involuntary; weak and slow
- in the wall of hollow organs (stomach, small intestine)
BASIC MORPHOLOGIC UNIT in LM: spindle shaped smooth muscle cell.
Cytoplasm has no cross striation. Oval or rod-like nuclei in the centre.
ORIGIN
Most of muscle tissue develops from mesoderm that gives rise to mesenchymal cells.
• Skeletal muscle develops from paraaxial mesoderm, organized into
myotomes in somites. Muscles of the head develop from mesenchyme of
branchial arches.
• Cardiac muscle develops from cardiogenic mesoderm.
• Smooth muscle develops from splanchnic mesoderm
- except of iris where smooth muscle arises from
neuroectoderm.
TRIAD 3)
2 terminal cisternae of sarcoplasmic reticulum +1 T-tubule (invagination of
sarcolemma; encircle each myofibril at the border of A-band and I band).
Function of T-tubules:
Fast transmission of nerve impulses by depolarization of membranes (sarcolemma,
membranes of sarcoplasmic reticulum
Function of sarcoplasmic reticulum: storrage and release of calcium ions necessary for
contraction. Calcium ions are bound to the troponin complex of TnC subunit.
- oriented longitudinally
Sarcomere is limited by two Z- lines. Z-line is in the centre of isotropic band. Contains α-
actinin, protein that binds actin filaments to Z-line.
ACTIN and MYOSIN filaments form myofibril.
ACTIN FILAMENT
2. Tropomyosin – double helix peptide chain; runs in the groove of F-actin chains
Between the axon and muscle fiber is a synaptic cleft. Sarcolemma at the site of junction
forms many invaginations that increase the postsynaptic surface. Sarcoplasm directly below
the folds does not contain myofibrils.
At each triad , the depolarization signal is passed to the sarcoplasmic reticulum and results
in Ca2+ release (calcium ions are bound to troponinC).
When the depolarization stops, the Ca2+ is transported back to the sarcoplasmic reticulum
and muscle relaxes. In the synaptic cleft is an active acetylcholinesterase that brake down
excess of Ach.
CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS – 3 types
1. Contractile cells
desmosomes that serve for strong connection between cardiac muscle cells
gap junctions (nexus) – serve for the transport of ions, spreading of impulses
and metabolism
Cardiac muscle cells in LM: ID - intercalated discs, nuclei (1-2) in the centre of cell
Transverse and longitudinal
section of smooth muscle
EM: differences between smooth muscle cell and skeletal muscle fiber
2. No myofibrils !!!
a) cytoplasmic
b) below sarcolemma
Function:
1. Contraction (smooth muscle in the hollow organs forms compact layers that
regulate diameter of the lumens)
2. Secretion (rER, GA):
CONTRACTION
• criss cross orientation of myofilaments give special shape to the cell after contraction
• after contraction rod-like nucleus is changed to cork-screw
Contraction of smooth muscle cells is involuntary
2. hormonal stimulation (e.g. smooth muscle in the uterus during pregnancy): oxytocin,
estrogen.