Cardiac Muscle

Question 1

What characteristics does cardiac muscle tissue show?

Answer 1

Some of the characteristics of smooth muscle and some of skeletal muscle tissue. It is involuntary muscle

Question 2

Describe the fibres of cardiac muscle

Answer 2

Its fibres, like those of skeletal muscle, have cross-striations and contain numerous nuclei

Question 3

How does cardiac muscle differ from striated muscle?

Answer 3

• they are shorter
• the striations are not so obvious
• there is only one nucleus present in the centre of each cardiac fibre
• adjacent fibres branch and are joined to one another via intercalated discs

Question 4

What are the spaces between different fibres filled with?

Answer 4

The spaces between different fibres are filled with areolar connective tissue which contains blood capillaries to supply the tissue with the oxygen and nutrients