Anatomy A215 Virtual Microscopy
Smooth Muscle (in the wall of the small intestine)
 
 

Muscle is one of the four basic types of tissue and is specialized for contraction. There are three distinct types of muscle.
  • Smooth (or visceral) muscle
  • Cardiac muscle
  • Skeletal muscle

Be able to identify each type along with its distinguishing characteristics.
 

This is an example of smooth (or visceral) muscle. Smooth muscle  contains elongated, spindle-shaped cells, each with one centrally located nucleus. There are no cross striations.

Look in the muscular wall of this section of SMALL INTESTINE for the distinguishing features of smooth muscle. The little box in the image above indicates where the picture to the left came from. You don't need to be in exactly this spot, just be sure you are in the area of the muscular wall. Click for a detailed image.

See this slide with the virtual microscope

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