Cardiac muscle Flashcards
Where is the cardiac muscle found?
In a layer of the heart called the myocardium.
Is it striated or non-striated?
Striated as it needs to contract
Is this muscle voluntary or involuntary?
Involuntary, as you do not have to think about your heart beating.
True or false: Cardiac muscles are multinuclear.
False, they consist of a single central nucleus.
True or false: Cardiac muscles are branched.
true
What are the regions called that are at the end of cells and what do they contain?
Intercalated discs. These contain desmosomes, gap junctions and adhering junctions.
What is the purpose of gap junctions?
To allow all the muscles to be electrically coupled so they beat in sync. (i.e. allow a rapid spread of depolarisation).
Role of desmosomes.
Strong adhesion to keep the muscle cells connected when the muscle cells contract.
Role of adhering junctions
Where actin filaments attach thin filaments in muscle sarcomeres to cell membrane.
Can cardiac muscles regenerate?
No, they undergo hypertrophy and die.
