MUSCLE TISSUE

Our Lady of Fatima University

College of Medical Laboratory Science

Canellie Canlas, RMT, MSMT / Jonna Tacsay, RMT, MSMT/ Joshua Ramel, RMT/ Mikhail Valdescona, RMT, MPH
 UNIT OUTCOMES
At the end of this Unit, the student is able to:

1. Identify the2 types of myofilaments

2. Describe the sarcomere.
3. Differentiate the various types of skeletal muscle fibers.
4. Describe the different types of of cardiac muscle fibers.
5. Identify the types of smooth muscle fibers
 MUSCLE TISSUE
1. Composed of cells that optimize the universal cell property of contractility.

2. Mesodermal in origin

3. Cytoplasm of muscle cells - sarcoplasm

4. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum of Muscle – sarcoplasmic reticulum

5. Cell membrane and external lamina - sarcolemma

 MUSCLE TISSUE
Three types of muscle tissue can be distinguished on the basis of morphologic and functional
characteristics with the structure of each adapted to its physiologic role

Skeletal Muscle Cardiac Muscle Smooth Muscle

Multi nucleated cells with cross Branched cells bound to one another Fusiform cells which lack striations
striations at structures called intercalated discs

Quick, Forceful, Usually Voluntary Contraction is involuntary, vigorous, Slow, Involuntary Contractions
Contractions and rhythmic.
 SKELETAL MUSCLE / STRIATED MUSCLE
1. Consists of muscle fibers, which are long,
cylindrical multinucleated cells with
diameters of 10-100 μm.

2. Elongated nuclei are found peripherally just

under the sarcolemma

3. Reserve Progenitor cells called satellite

cells remains adjacent to most fibers of
differentiated skeletal muscle.
 ORGANIZATION OF SKELETAL MUSCLE
Layers of Connective Tissue present in all types of
muscle; seen well in skeletal muscle

1. Endomysium - dense irregular tissue surrounding

the external lamina of individual muscle fibers.

2. Perimysium - thin connective tissue layer that

immediately surrounds each bundle of muscle
fibers termed a fascicle

3. Epimysium - external sheath of dense irregular

connective tissue, surrounds the entire muscle
 ORGANIZATION OF SKELETAL MUSCLE
Layers of Connective Tissue present in all types of
muscle; seen well in skeletal muscle

4. Deep Fascia – Dense Irregular Connective Tissue

overlying epimysium

* Myotendinous junctions
 ORGANIZATION OF MUSCLE FIBERS
Striations show alternating light and dark bands:

1. Dark bands are called A Bands

2. Light bands are called I Bands

Sarcoplasm is highly organized, containing primarily

long cylindrical filament bundles called myofibrils

I bands are bisected by a dark transverse line, the Z disc.

The repetitive functional subunit of the contractile

apparatus, the sarcomere, extends from Z disc to Z disc
 ORGANIZATION OF MUSCLE FIBERS

The repetitive functional subunit of the contractile apparatus, the sarcomere, extends from Z
disc to Z disc
 ORGANIZATION OF MUSCLE FIBERS

The A and I banding pattern in sarcomeres is due mainly to the regular arrangement of thick and
thin myofilaments, composed of myosin and F-actin, respectively
 ORGANIZATION OF MUSCLE FIBERS

Myosin heads bind both actin, forming transient crossbridges between the thick and thin
filaments, and ATP, catalyzing energy release (actomyosin ATPase activity).
 ORGANIZATION OF MUSCLE FIBERS

I bands consist of the portions of the thin filaments which do not overlap the thick filaments
in the A bands
 ORGANIZATION OF MUSCLE FIBERS

1. A bands contain both the thick filaments and the overlapping portions of thin filaments
2. Presence of a lighter zone in its center, the H zone, corresponding to a region with only the
rodlike portions of the myosin molecule and no thin filaments
 SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM & TRANSVERSE TUBULE SYTEM

1. Sarcoplasmic Reticulum - membranous

smooth ER in skeletal muscle fibers

2. Transverse or T-tubules - long fingerlike

invaginations of the cell membrane
encircling each myofibril near the aligned A-
and I-band boundaries of sarcomeres

3. Terminal cisternae – expanded structures

adjacent to each T-Tubule

4. Functions - Ca2+ sequestration during

muscle contraction
 MECHANISM OF CONTRACTION
Contraction occurs as
the overlapping thin
and thick filaments of
each sarcomere slide
past one another.
 MECHANISM OF CONTRACTION
1. Nerve impulse triggers
release of ACh from the
synaptic knob into the
synaptic cleft.

ACh binds to ACh receptors

in the motor end plate of the
neuromuscular junction,
initiating a muscle impulse in
the sarcolemma of the
muscle fiber.
 MECHANISM OF CONTRACTION
2. As the muscle impulse
spreads quickly from the
sarcolemma along T tubules,
calcium ions are released
from terminal cisternae
into the sarcoplasm
 MECHANISM OF CONTRACTION
3. Calcium ions bind to
troponin.

Troponin changes shape,

moving tropomyosin on the
actin to expose active sites on
actin molecules of thin
filaments.

Myosin heads of thick

filaments attach to exposed
active sites to form crossbridges
 MECHANISM OF CONTRACTION
4. Myosin heads pivot, moving thin filaments toward the sarcomere center. ATP binds myosin
heads and is broken down into ADP and P.

Myosin heads detach from thin filaments and return to their prepivot position.

The sarcomere shortens and the muscle contracts

 MECHANISM OF CONTRACTION
5. When the impulse stops, calcium ions are actively transported into the sarcoplasmic
reticulum

Tropomyosin re-covers active sites, and filaments passively slide back to their relaxed state.
 MECHANISM OF CONTRACTION
5. When the impulse stops, calcium ions are actively transported into the sarcoplasmic
reticulum

Tropomyosin re-covers active sites, and filaments passively slide back to their relaxed state.
 SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS
Different types of fibers can be identified on the basis of (1) their maximal rate of
contraction (fast or slow fibers) and (2) their major pathway for ATP synthesis (oxidative
phosphorylation or glycolysis).

Type I ( Slow Oxidative Fibers).

- Small fibers, appear red in fresh specimens, contain many mitochondria and large amounts
of myoglobin and cytochrome complexes

- Slow-twitch fatigue-resistant motor units; (a twitch is a single brief contraction of the muscle)
 SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS
Type IIa (Fast Oxidative Glycolytic Fibers).

- Intermediate fibers seen in fresh tissue

- Medium size w/ many mitochondria and a high myoglobin content
- Fast-twitch fatigue-resistant motor units that generate high peak muscle tension

Type IIb (Fast Glycolytic Fibers).

- Large fibers, w/c appear light pink in fresh specimens, contain less myoglobin & fewer
mitochondria than type I & IIa fibers.
- Low levels of oxidative enzymes but exhibit high anaerobic enzyme activity and store a
considerable amount of glycogen

- Fast-twitch fatigue-prone motor units & generate high peak muscle tension
 CARDIAC MUSCLE
- Has same types and arrangements of
contractile filaments as skeletal muscle

- Cardiac muscle nucleus lies in the center

of the cell
- Numerous large mitochondria and
glycogen stores are adjacent to each
myofibril

- The intercalated disks represent junctions

between cardiac muscles
 CARDIAC MUSCLE
Components of intercalated disk contain specialized
cell to cell junction between adjoining cardiac muscle
cells:

1. Fascia adherens (adhering junction) is the major

constituent of the transverse component of the
intercalated disk

2. Maculae adherentes (desmosomes) bind the

individual muscle cells to one another.
 CARDIAC MUSCLE
Components of intercalated disk contain specialized
cell to cell junction between adjoining cardiac muscle
cells:

3. Gap junctions (communicating junctions) provide

ionic continuity between adjacent cardiac muscle cells
allowing informational macromolecules to pass from cell
to cell
CARDIAC MUSCLE
• From mesoderm
• Exhibit a cross striated banding pattern
• Cardiac muscle cell possesses only one or two centrally located pale- staining
nuclei (unlike multinucleated skeletal muscle).
• Unique and distinguishing characteristic of cardiac muscle is the presence of
dark staining transverse lines that cross the chains of cardiac cells at irregular
intervals --- >intercalated disk
*Intercalated disk
• many desmosomes and fascia adherens.
• To bind cardiac cells firmly together to prevent their pulling apart under
constant contractile activity.
• In some parts (longitudinal portions) have gap junctions, which provide
ionic continuity between adjacent cells --- act as electrical synapses,
contraction signals passing in a wave from cell to cell.
• More T tubules than skeletal muscle more mitochondria --- reflecting the need
for continuous aerobic metabolism in heart muscle.
• Fatty acid major fuel of the heart (stored as triglycerides)
CARDIAC MUSCLE
CARDIAC MUSCLE
2 types of cardiac muscle fiber:
A. Atrial cardiac muscle fiber
• small with few T tubules
• Musculi pectini: muscle of the atria
• contain membrane bound granules with Atrial
Natriuretic Factor, a hormone that is secreted in
response to an increase in blood volume.
B. Ventricular cardiac muscle fiber
• larger with more T tubules but without granules.
• Trabeculae carnae: muscle of the ventricles
 SMOOTH MUSCLES

- Generally occurs as bundles or sheets of

elongated fusiform cells w/ finely tapered ends.

- Cells possess a contractile apparatus of thin and

thick filaments and a cytoskeleton of desmin and
vimentin intermediate filaments
 SMOOTH MUSCLES

- Thin filaments containing actin, the smooth

muscle isoform of tropomyosin and 2 smooth
muscle specific proteins, caldesmon and
calponin

- Thick filaments containing myosin II

molecules are oriented in one direction on one
side of the filament
 SMOOTH MUSCLES
- Tropomyosin is present in smooth muscle,
spanning seven actin monomers and is laid out end
to end over the entire length of the thin filaments.
In striated muscle, tropomyosin serves to enhance
actin–myosin interactions

- Calponin molecules may exist in equal number

as actin, and has been proposed to be a load-
bearing protein.

- Caldesmon has been suggested to be involved in

tethering actin, myosin and tropomyosin, and
thereby enhance the ability of smooth muscle to
maintain tension.
 SMOOTH MUSCLES
Functional aspects of smooth muscle

- Specialized for slow, prolonged contraction

- Nerve terminals in smooth muscles are observed
only in the connective tissue adjacent to muscle
cells
- Smooth muscles also secrete connective tissue
matrix
SMOOTH MUSCLES
Types of Smooth Muscles
1. Visceral Smooth Muscle
• In the walls of hollow visceral organs
• GIT, stomach, small and large intestines, uterus, cervix,
fallopian tubes, urinary bladder, epidydimis
• Lower third of esophagus
2. Vascular Smooth Muscle
• Walls of the blood vessels (arteries)
• Has Vimentin or desmin
3. Smooth Muscle of the Iris
• Sphincter & dilator papillae muscles
• Controls the pupils
SMOOTH MUSCLES
 SMOOTH MUSCLES

UNITARY vs MULTI- UNIT

A. Multi- unit
• Each cell is innervated and can contract independently.
B. Unitary
• Only few cells are innervated but all cells are interconnected by gap junction
SMOOTH MUSCLES
SMOOTH MUSCLES
 References
Mescher, Anthony L (2018) , Junqueira’s Basic Histology Text and Atlas 15th Edition

Notes: Reyes, D., RMT, MPH (2011)