Muscle cell

"Muscle fiber" and "Myofiber" redirect here. For protein structures inside cells, see Myofibril.
Muscle cell
General structure of a skeletal muscle cell and neuromuscular junction:
Details
LocationMuscle
Identifiers
Latinmyocytus
MeSHD032342
THH2.00.05.0.00002
FMA67328
Anatomical terms of microanatomy

A muscle cell, also known as a myocyte, is a mature contractile cell in the muscle of an animal.[1] In humans and other vertebrates there are three types: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac (cardiomyocytes).[2] A skeletal muscle cell is long and threadlike with many nuclei and is called a muscle fiber.[3] Muscle cells develop from embryonic precursor cells called myoblasts.[1]

Skeletal muscle cells form by fusion of myoblasts to produce multinucleated cells (syncytia) in a process known as myogenesis.[4][5] Skeletal muscle cells and cardiac muscle cells both contain myofibrils and sarcomeres and form a striated muscle tissue.[6]

Cardiac muscle cells form the cardiac muscle in the walls of the heart chambers, and have a single central nucleus.[7] Cardiac muscle cells are joined to neighboring cells by intercalated discs, and when joined in a visible unit they are described as a cardiac muscle fiber.[8]

Smooth muscle cells control involuntary movements such as the peristalsis contractions in the esophagus and stomach. Smooth muscle has no myofibrils or sarcomeres and is therefore non-striated. Smooth muscle cells have a single nucleus.

  1. ^ a b Myocytes at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
  2. ^ Brunet, Thibaut; et al. (2016). "The evolutionary origin of bilaterian smooth and striated myocytes". eLife. 5: 1. doi:10.7554/elife.19607. ISSN 2050-084X. PMC 5167519.
  3. ^ Saladin, Kenneth S. (2011). Human anatomy (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 72–73. ISBN 9780071222075.
  4. ^ Scott, W; Stevens, J; Binder-Macleod, SA (2001). "Human skeletal muscle fiber type classifications". Physical Therapy. 81 (11): 1810–1816. doi:10.1093/ptj/81.11.1810. PMID 11694174. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Does anyone know why skeletal muscle fibers have peripheral nuclei, but the cardiomyocytes not? What are the functional advantages?". Archived from the original on 19 September 2017.
  6. ^ Betts, J. Gordon; Young, Kelly A.; Wise, James A.; Johnson, Eddie; Poe, Brandon; Kruse, Dean H.; Korol, Oksana; Johnson, Jody E.; Womble, Mark; Desaix, Peter (6 March 2013). "Cardiac muscle tissue". Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Muscle tissues". Archived from the original on 13 October 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Atrial structure, fibers, and conduction" (PDF). Retrieved 5 June 2021.