myocyte

Examples of myocyte in the following topics:

• Skeletal Muscle Fibers

  • Myocytes, sometimes called muscle fibers, form the bulk of muscle tissue.
  • The sarcolemma of myocytes contains numerous invaginations (pits) called transverse tubules which are usually perpendicular to the length of the myocyte.
  • Each myocyte contains multiple nuclei due to their derivation from multiple myoblasts, progenitor cells that give rise to myocytes.
  • These myoblasts asre located to the periphery of the myocyte and flattened so as not to impact myocyte contraction.
  • Each myocyte can contain many thousands of myofibrils.

• Structure and Function of the Muscular System

  • Muscle cells, or myocytes, contain myofibrils comprised of actin and myosin myofilaments which slide past each other producing tension that changes the shape of the myocyte.
  • Numerous myocytes make up muscle tissue and the controlled production of tension in these cells can generate significant force.
  • Morphologically skeletal myocytes are elongated and tubular and appear striated with multiple peripheral nuclei.
  • Cardiac myocytes are shorter than skeletal equivalents and contain only one or two centrally located nuclei.
  • Smooth muscle myocytes are spindle shaped with a single centrally located nucleus.

• Sliding Filament Model of Contraction

  • However, when multiplied by the number of sarcomeres in a myofibril, myofibrils in a myocyte and myocytes in a muscle, the amount of force and movement generated is significant.