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What is the reason single unit smooth muscle for digestive system and multi-unit smooth muscle for eye?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Firstly you have to understand how smooth muscle works. Smooth muscle works differently from that of striated muscle (cardiac and skeletal muscle) in the sense that its arrangement of the individual fibres is different - smooth muscle does not have sarcomeres unlike striated muscle (hence the striations). Furthermore, it has different kind of microfilaments (no troponin or myofibrils - troponin is the regulatory component in skeletal muscle, myofibrils are the light and dark bands in striated muscle), allowing for a different type of contraction.
Smooth muscle also maintains a certain tone, which is important in the control of smooth muscle - rarely is it ever completely contracted or relaxed. There are two types of smooth muscle, single unit fibres, in which each smooth muscle cell has gap junctions (ion channels in between the cell that allow for the voltage, and hence, contraction to pass through), and multi-unit fibres, in which several smooth muscle cells are innervated by a single nerve.
Now to your question - having understood the way in which smooth muscle works, we can consider which type of smooth muscle is present in each area. In the digestive system, there are primarily single unit fibres in the wall of the digestive tract. The reason for this is the need for peristalsis, the wave of movement which allows food to be moved down the gastrointestinal tract and through your body. Single Unit smooth muscle therefore allows for the stimulus to signal one smooth muscle cell, but allow for all the other cells in the circumference of the GIT to contract, allowing for the wave of peristalsis to move through. Sigle unit fibres are also seen in the uterus and blood vessels.
However, in the eye it is a totally different matter. There are multi-unit fibres present in the eye, as there is need for very fine control over the movement of our eye (usually in the ciliary muscles, which allow for focusing - you can imagine how much control will be required for long/short distance focusing!), hence we have multi-unit fibres which are individually innervated, and allow for individual smooth muscle cells to contract, providing greater control.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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Smooth muscle is characterized by?
The smooth muscle is an involuntary, non-striated muscle. It is divided into two sub-groups: the single-unit and multiunit smooth muscle.
Where is smooth muscle and what are its functions?
Smooth muscles are an involuntary non-striated muscles. It is divided into two sub-groups; the Single unit (unitary) and multiunit smooth muscle Hope this helps! :)
What is Non-striated involuntary muscle type?
its Smooth muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle, so-called because it has no sarcomeres and therefore no striations (bands or stripes). It is divided into two subgroups, single-unit and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit muscle, the whole bundle or sheet of smooth muscle cells contracts as a syncytium. lol i know more than u
Which type of muscle is found in hollow structures such as those of the digestive system?
single-unit smooth muscle
What muscle does the digestive tract use when digesting food?
It is 'lined' by many muscles at many points, including circular muscles, longitudinal muscles etc. No single muscle, or single type of muscle, lines it.
How is smooth muscle and cardiac muscle different from skeletal muscle?
Cardiac muscle is a type of involuntary striated muscle found in the walls and histologic foundation of the heart, specifically the myocardium. Cardiac muscle is one of three major types of muscle, the others being skeletal and smooth muscle. The cells that comprise cardiac muscle, called myocardiocyteal muscle cells, are mononuclear, like smooth muscle cells.[1]Coordinated contractions of cardiac muscle cells in the heart propel blood out of the atria and ventricles to the blood vessels of the left/body/systemic and right/lungs/pulmonary circulatory systems. This complex of actions makes up the systole of the heartSkeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system. As its name suggests, most skeletal muscle is attached to bones by bundles of collagen fibers known as tendons.Smooth muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle. It is divided into two sub-groups; the single-unit (unitary) and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit smooth muscle tissues, the autonomic nervous system innervates a single cell within a sheet or bundle and the action potential is propagated by gap junctions to neighboring cells such that the whole bundle or sheet contracts as a syncytium (i.e., a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into cells). Multiunit smooth muscle tissues innervate individual cells; as such, they allow for fine control and gradual responses, much like motor unit recruitment in skeletal muscle.
How is cardiac muscle different from skeletal muscle?
Cardiac muscle is a type of involuntary striated muscle found in the walls and histologic foundation of the heart, specifically the myocardium. Cardiac muscle is one of three major types of muscle, the others being skeletal and smooth muscle. The cells that comprise cardiac muscle, called myocardiocyteal muscle cells, are mononuclear, like smooth muscle cells.[1]Coordinated contractions of cardiac muscle cells in the heart propel blood out of the atria and ventricles to the blood vessels of the left/body/systemic and right/lungs/pulmonary circulatory systems. This complex of actions makes up the systole of the heartSkeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system. As its name suggests, most skeletal muscle is attached to bones by bundles of collagen fibers known as tendons.Smooth muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle. It is divided into two sub-groups; the single-unit (unitary) and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit smooth muscle tissues, the autonomic nervous system innervates a single cell within a sheet or bundle and the action potential is propagated by gap junctions to neighboring cells such that the whole bundle or sheet contracts as a syncytium (i.e., a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into cells). Multiunit smooth muscle tissues innervate individual cells; as such, they allow for fine control and gradual responses, much like motor unit recruitment in skeletal muscle.
How is smooth muscles different from skeletal muscle?
Cardiac muscle is a type of involuntary striated muscle found in the walls and histologic foundation of the heart, specifically the myocardium. Cardiac muscle is one of three major types of muscle, the others being skeletal and smooth muscle. The cells that comprise cardiac muscle, called myocardiocyteal muscle cells, are mononuclear, like smooth muscle cells.[1]Coordinated contractions of cardiac muscle cells in the heart propel blood out of the atria and ventricles to the blood vessels of the left/body/systemic and right/lungs/pulmonary circulatory systems. This complex of actions makes up the systole of the heartSkeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system. As its name suggests, most skeletal muscle is attached to bones by bundles of collagen fibers known as tendons.Smooth muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle. It is divided into two sub-groups; the single-unit (unitary) and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit smooth muscle tissues, the autonomic nervous system innervates a single cell within a sheet or bundle and the action potential is propagated by gap junctions to neighboring cells such that the whole bundle or sheet contracts as a syncytium (i.e., a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into cells). Multiunit smooth muscle tissues innervate individual cells; as such, they allow for fine control and gradual responses, much like motor unit recruitment in skeletal muscle.
What are the kinds of house?
There are several kinds of houses that include a variety of sizes and shapes like bungalows, Victorian style, and cottages. Some common houses are single detached, duplex, colonial, mansion, and farm houses.
What are single joint muscles?
a muscle which crosses a single joint refers to a single joint muscle.
How does a digestive sac differ from a digestive tube?
has only a single openning
What is a functional syncytium?
Cardiac muscle cells are mechanically, chemically, and electrically connected to one another, thus, the entire tissue resembles a single, enormous muscle cell. For this reason, cardiac muscle has been called a functional syncytium. This is also true of smooth muscle.
