UNIVERSITY OF THE GAMBIA

School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences

🔬 MUSCLE TISSUE
Practical Class Preparation Guide
Lecture 6 | Histology | Prof. Dra. Karelia García Pérez

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR PRACTICAL

1. Diagram projection → identify and name labelled structures
2. Give the characteristic features and function of the structure shown
3. Fill-in-the-blank exercises on muscle tissue terminology
SECTION 1 — Special Terminology (Must Know)
Muscle cells use unique terms. The examiner may label a diagram with arrows pointing at structures —
know both the general and muscle-specific names.

General Term Muscle-Specific Term (& Meaning)

Muscle cell Muscle fiber (due to elongated shape)

Plasma membrane Sarcolemma

Cytoplasm Sarcoplasm (sarco = meat/flesh)

Mitochondria Sarcosomes

Filaments Myofilaments

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR)

SECTION 2 — Diagram Identification Guide
For each type of muscle tissue, know what each label in a diagram represents.

2A — Skeletal Striated Muscle Fiber

KEY STRUCTURES TO IDENTIFY IN DIAGRAMS:
Structure / Label What You Must Know

Sarcomere Contractile unit between two Z lines

Boundary of sarcomere; site of thin (actin) filament insertion

Z Line
from neighboring sarcomere

Contains BOTH thick (myosin) + thin (actin) myofilaments.

A Band (Dark)
Remains CONSTANT during contraction

Contains ONLY thin (actin) myofilaments. DECREASES or

I Band (Light)
disappears during contraction

Central pale zone of A band — contains ONLY thick

H Band
(myosin) filaments. DISAPPEARS during contraction

Center of H band; anchors thick myofilaments. Disappears

M Line
during max contraction

Cylindrical structures inside sarcoplasm giving longitudinal

Myofibrils
striations

Tubular invaginations of sarcolemma that envelop myofibrils,

T Tubules
conduct impulses inward

Highly developed network surrounding myofibrils; regulates

Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR)
Ca²⁺ for contraction

TWO SR cisternae + ONE T tubule. Located between A and

Triad
I bands

Sarcolemma Plasma membrane of the muscle fiber

Mitochondria of the muscle fiber; abundant in skeletal

Sarcosomes
muscle

Multiple; located at PERIPHERY of the fiber (distinguishing

Nuclei
feature)

CONNECTIVE TISSUE LAYERS — High Exam Frequency:

Layer Surrounds What?
Endomysium Each individual muscle fiber

Perimysium A group/bundle of fibers → forms fascicles

Epimysium The entire muscle (all fascicles together)

2B — Cardiac Striated Muscle Fiber

KEY STRUCTURES TO IDENTIFY IN DIAGRAMS:
Structure / Label What You Must Know

Specialized cell junctions joining cardiac cells end-to-end;

Intercalated Discs
allow synchronized contraction

SINGLE nucleus located CENTRALLY (key difference from

Nucleus
skeletal)

Cardiac cells have branching — form a 3D network

Branched ends
(syncytium)

Transverse striations Present but LESS DISTINCT than skeletal muscle

Very ABUNDANT; in rows between myofibrils — high energy

Sarcosomes
demand

Larger diameter than skeletal; located at Z LINE (not A-I

T Tubules
junction). Form DYADS (not triads)

Sarcoplasmic Reticulum LESS developed than in skeletal muscle

Glycogen & Lipid drops Present in abundant acidophilic sarcoplasm — fuel reserve

2C — Smooth Muscle Fiber

KEY STRUCTURES TO IDENTIFY IN DIAGRAMS:
Structure / Label What You Must Know

SINGLE, in the WIDER MIDDLE PORTION (central).

Nucleus
Elongated shape

Fusiform shape Spindle-shaped cell, tapered at both ends

Smooth muscle LACKS striations — no organized

No striations
sarcomeres

Fixing areas for MF at level of sarcolemma — functional

Dense bodies
equivalent of Z lines

Caveolae Large number of pinocytic vesicles; functional equivalent of

 T tubules

Intermediate filaments e.g., Vimentin — does NOT contain troponin

SR (poorly developed) Sarcoplasmic reticulum is minimal; NO T tubules

SECTION 3 — Side-by-Side Comparison (Perfect for
Practicals)
This is the most exam-critical section. Know the differences between all three muscle types.

Feature Skeletal Cardiac Smooth

Shape Cylindrical, long, blunt Branched, cylindrical Fusiform (spindle)
ends
Size 10–100 µm diam; up to 80 µm long × 15 µm diam 20–200 µm (vascular); up
30 cm long to 0.5 mm (gravid uterus)
Nuclei MULTIPLE — peripheral SINGLE — central SINGLE — central, wider
portion
Striations YES — very distinct YES — less distinct NO
(transverse)
Myofibrils Prominent, cylindrical Present, less organized No organized myofibrils
T Tubules At A-I junction → form At Z line → form DYADS ABSENT (caveolae
TRIADS instead)
Sarcoplasmic Highly developed Less developed Poorly developed
Reticulum
Special junctions None (lack means of Intercalated Discs Gap junctions (unions)
union)
Sarcosomes Abundant Very abundant (in rows) Present
Troponin YES YES NO (vimentin instead)
Function Voluntary, rapid, vigorous Involuntary, vigorous, Involuntary, slow,
rhythmic prolonged
Innervation Somatic NS (voluntary) Autonomic NS Autonomic NS
Location Skeletal muscles Myocardium (heart) Viscera, blood vessels,
hollow organs
Embryological origin Mesoderm Mesoderm Mesoderm
SECTION 4 — Muscle Contraction (Sliding Filament Theory)
What Happens During Contraction:
• Fine (actin) myofilaments slide toward the center, pushed by thick (myosin) myofilaments
• There is OVERLAP of both types of myofilaments
• Result: shortening of the sarcomere

Band Changes During Contraction — CRITICAL:

MEMORY TABLE — What happens to each band?

✅ Band A → CONSTANT (does NOT change)

⬇️ Band I → DECREASES (disappears at max contraction)
❌ Band H → DISAPPEARS
❌ M Line → DISAPPEARS
↔️ Z Lines → APPROACH each other (get closer)
SECTION 5 — Fill-in-the-Blank Practice
Complete without looking at your notes first. Check answers at the end.

Part A — Terminology
1. The plasma membrane of a muscle cell is called the ______________________________.
2. The cytoplasm of a muscle cell is called the ______________________________.
3. Mitochondria in muscle cells are referred to as ______________________________.
4. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum of a muscle cell is called the
______________________________.
5. The contractile proteins found in the sarcoplasm are ______________ and ______________.

Part B — Skeletal Muscle

6. Skeletal muscle fibers are __________________ (mono/multi)nucleated, with nuclei located at the
__________________.
7. The contractile unit of striated muscle, located between two Z lines, is called the
______________________________.
8. The band that contains ONLY thin (actin) myofilaments is the _______ band.
9. The band that contains ONLY thick (myosin) myofilaments is the _______ band (within the A band).
10. The band that contains BOTH thick and thin myofilaments is the _______ band.
11. During maximum contraction, the _______ band and _______ line disappear, while band _______
remains constant.
12. A triad consists of __________________ SR cisternae and __________________ T tubule, located
between the _______ and _______ bands.
13. The connective tissue surrounding each muscle fiber is the ______________________________.
14. The connective tissue surrounding a bundle of muscle fibers (fascicle) is the
______________________________.
15. The connective tissue surrounding the entire muscle is the ______________________________.

Part C — Cardiac Muscle

16. Cardiac muscle cells are __________________ (mono/multi)nucleated, with the nucleus located
__________________.
17. Cardiac cells join end-to-end via specialized junctions called ______________________________.
18. In cardiac muscle, T tubules are located at the _______ line (not the A-I junction like in skeletal
muscle).
19. Cardiac muscle fibers form __________________ (triads/dyads) with the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
20. The function of cardiac muscle is __________________, __________________ and
__________________ contraction.
Part D — Smooth Muscle
21. Smooth muscle fibers are __________________ in shape, with the nucleus located in the
__________________ portion.
22. Smooth muscle __________________ (has/lacks) transverse striations.
23. The functional equivalent of T tubules in smooth muscle cells are
______________________________.
24. The anchoring sites for myofilaments at the level of the sarcolemma in smooth muscle are called
______________________________.
25. Smooth muscle does NOT contain __________________ (regulatory protein found in skeletal and
cardiac muscle).
26. The function of smooth muscle is __________________, __________________ and
__________________ contraction.
SECTION 6 — Answer Key
Part A
• 1. Sarcolemma
• 2. Sarcoplasm
• 3. Sarcosomes
• 4. Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR)
• 5. Actin and Myosin

Part B
• 6. Multinucleated; periphery of the fiber
• 7. Sarcomere
• 8. I band
• 9. H band
• 10. A band
• 11. H band and M line disappear; Band A remains constant
• 12. Two SR cisternae and one T tubule; between A and I bands
• 13. Endomysium
• 14. Perimysium
• 15. Epimysium

Part C
• 16. Mononucleated (single nucleus); centrally located
• 17. Intercalated discs
• 18. Z line
• 19. Dyads
• 20. Involuntary, vigorous, rhythmic

Part D
• 21. Fusiform (spindle-shaped); wider middle portion
• 22. Lacks (no striations)
• 23. Caveolae (pinocytic vesicles)
• 24. Dense bodies
• 25. Troponin
• 26. Involuntary, slow, prolonged
SECTION 7 — Quick-Fire Summary (Last-Minute Review)
Top 10 High-Yield Facts for Practicals:
Most Likely to Be Tested

4. Skeletal = multinucleated + PERIPHERAL nuclei; Cardiac & Smooth = single

CENTRAL nucleus
5. Only Skeletal has TRIADS (2 SR + 1 T tubule) at A-I junction
6. Only Cardiac has INTERCALATED DISCS and DYADS at Z line
7. Smooth muscle: NO striations, NO T tubules, NO troponin; has CAVEOLAE and
DENSE BODIES instead
8. During contraction: A band stays CONSTANT; I and H bands decrease/disappear; Z
lines APPROACH
9. Sarcomere = contractile unit, between two consecutive Z lines
10. Endomysium → each fiber | Perimysium → fascicle | Epimysium → whole muscle
11. All muscle types originate from MESODERM
12. Smooth muscle is involuntary → Autonomic NS; Skeletal is voluntary → Somatic NS
13. Sliding filament: thin MF slide toward center pushed by thick MF → fiber shortens