SMOOTH MUSCLE Flashcards
what are smooth muscle thin filaments made of
actin
what are smooth muscle thick filaments made of
myosin
why are there no striations in smooth muscle
lack of organization
how are actin filaments oriented
- parallel to long axis
2. oblique to long axis
what are dense bodies
electron dense regions where actin filaments come together
how are thick and think filaments organized
thick filaments interspersed bw thin filaments
what structure in skeletal muscle are dense bodies similar to
Z lines
what are thin filaments in smooth muscle lacking
troponin
what is the function of enzyme myosin light chain phosphates in smooth muscle
terminate contraction
what are 2 types of smooth muscle
- multi unit
2. unitary
where does unitary smooth muscle occur
large sheets
what connects individual smooth muscle cells in unitary
gap junctions
how does unitary smooth muscle function
as one.
how does multi unit smooth muscle differ from unitary
individual units not connected by gap junctions
what does lack of gap junctions in multi unit smooth muscle result in
little electrical coupling
MULTIUNIT what innervates multiunit smooth muscle
ANS
MULTIUNIT what do axons of post ganglionic fibre contain
branches
MULTIUNIT what do branches of post ganglionic fibre contain
vricosities
MULTIUNIT what do varicosities contain
transmitter
MULTIUNIT where does transmitter get released
surface of smooth muscle cells
UNITARY what innervates unitary smooth muscle
ANS
what causes spont electrical activity in smooth muscle cells
pacemaker potential
what does spont electrical activity result in
slow waves / regular oscillations in mem potential
what happens in step one of slow waves
- voltage gated Ca channels open
2. Ca moves into cell causing depol
what happens in step two of slow waves
- mem potential depolarizes to threshold
- AP causes more Ca influx
- AP causes contraction of smooth muscle