Structure and Functions of Muscular Tissue

Note: This page is part of the section about the structure and function of different Tissue Types, which is related to the section
about Histology and Cells (incl. structure of animal cells, cell division, mitosis, meiosis). This "Tissue Types" section is included to complete
description of the knowledge of "Histology - The Cell" required by some courses in First-Level Anatomy and Physiology. To read about other
tissue types see the list of on the left.

There are 3 types of muscle tissue:

 Skeletal muscle tissue,
 Cardiac muscle tissue, and
 Smooth muscle tissue.
The structure of these muscle tissues can be described from the level of detail of the muscle fibres (muscle
cells) through all the other muscle structures and parts of structures that bind muscle cells together enabling
them to perform their functions.
The functions of muscle tissues depend on the type of muscle tissues and their locations in the body.

Here is an overview of the 3 types of muscle tissues:

(a) Skeletal Muscle Tissue

Structure:
Skeletal muscle is called "striated"
because of its appearance
consisting of light and dark bands
visible using a light microscope. As
shown in the diagram (on the right),
a single skeletal muscle cell is long
and approximately cylindrical in
shape, with many nuclei located at
the edges (periphery) of the cell.
Function:
 Movement of the
skeleton under concious
control, including movement
of limbs, fingers, toes, neck,
etc.
 Movement of tissues of
facial expression under Above: Diagram of Skeletal Muscle Tissue
concious control, e.g. ability
to smile and to frown.

(b) Cardiac Muscle Tissue

Structure:
Cardiac muscle fibers are striated,
branched (sometimes described as Y-
shaped), and have a single central
nucleus. These fibers are attached at
their ends to adjoining fibers by thick
plasma membranes called intercalated
discs (shown in digram on the right).
Function:
  Pumping of blood through the
heart: Alternate contraction and
relaxation of cardiac muscle
pumps
o De-oxygenated blood
through the Right
Atrium and Right
Ventricle to the lungs,
and
o Oxygenated blood Above: Diagram of Cardiac Muscle Tissue
through the Left Atrium
and Left Ventricle to the
aorta, then the rest of
the body.

(c) Smooth Muscle Tissue

Structure:
Unlike Skeletal and Cardiac muscle
tissue, Smooth muscle is not striated.
Smooth muscle fibers are small and
tapered - with the ends reducing in
size, in contrast to the cylindrical
shape of skeletal muscle. Each
smooth muscle fiber has a single
centrally located nucleus.
Function:
Contractions of smooth muscle
constrict (i.e. narrow = reduce the
diameter of) the vessels they
surround. This is particularly
important in the digestive system in
which the action of smooth muscle
helps to move food along the
gastrointestinal tract as well as
breaking the food down further.
Smooth muscle also contributes to Above: Diagram of Smooth Muscle Tissue
moving fluids through the body and
to the elimination of indigestible
matter from the gastrointestinal
system.

Table comparing the 3 types of muscle tissue:

Type of Muscle Locations in body Voluntary Striations ? Cell Nuclei
Tissue or
involuntary
Skeletal Muscle  Attached to bones (of the Voluntary Yes: Many nuclei (located at
Tissue skeleton). Striated periphery of long
 In the case of facial Muscle cylindrical muscle fiber)
muscles, attached to other
tissues including skin -
hence muscles "of facial
expression".
Cardiac Muscle  Wall of the heart only. Involuntary Yes: One (centrally located)
Tissue Striated nucleus
Muscle
Smooth Muscle Walls of hollow internal Involuntary No: One (centrally located)
Tissue structures, incl. "Nonstriated" nucleus
 Blood vessels = "Smooth"
(Muscle)
 Stomach
 Intestines
 Gallbladder
 Urinary Bladder
 Airways to the lungs