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Related Concept Videos

Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

Smooth Muscle Contraction

Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal Muscles01:13

Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal Muscles

Skeletal muscle cells, also called muscle fibers, are distinctly elongated, multi-nucleated, slender biological units. They are packed with specialized structures designed to facilitate their primary function, which is contraction.
The muscle sarcolemma is a plasma membrane enclosing each muscle cell that conducts electrical signals called action potentials. The sarcolemma extends into the cell to form T-tubules, ensuring the neural impulses are uniformly distributed across the entire muscle...
Overview of Skeletal Muscle01:15

Overview of Skeletal Muscle

Skeletal muscles are composed of a bundle of muscle fibers and are attached to bones through tendons. Each skeletal muscle fiber is a single muscle cell. The sarcolemma, the plasma membrane of a skeletal muscle cell, consists of a lipid bilayer and glycocalyx that supports muscle fibers. The sarcolemma extends into the muscle cells to form tubular structures called transverse or T-tubules. Each side of the T-tubules consists of a membrane-bound structure called the sarcoplasmic reticulum,...
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum01:21

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum or smooth ER is a sub-organelle with specialized functions in animal cells and plant cells. It is often associated with the tubule morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum.
The ER provides optimal conditions for synthesizing steroid hormones and lipids, such as phospholipids and triglycerides. Traditionally, lipid metabolism was considered to be a smooth ER function. However, there is no direct evidence to prove that rough ER is completely excluded from lipid...
Endoplasmic Reticulum01:39

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Endoplasmic ReticulumThe endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an extensive network of membranous sacs and tubules in eukaryotic cells, continuous with the outer membrane of the nucleus. This structural continuity integrates nuclear and cytoplasmic processes and facilitates efficient intracellular transport. This allows mRNA to move directly from the nucleus to ribosomes for efficient protein synthesis. As a result, the ER serves as a central site for the synthesis, processing, and distribution of...
The Sarcomere01:08

The Sarcomere

A sarcomere is a microscopic segment repeating in a myofibril. The sarcomere fundamentally consists of two main myofilaments: thick filaments called myosin and thin filaments called actin. These filaments interact by sliding past each other in response to stimulus. In addition to myosin and actin, several other proteins, such as tropomyosin, troponin, titin, nebulin, myomesin, ฮฑ-actinin, and dystrophin, play crucial roles in regulating, structuring, and functioning of the sarcomere.
Each myosin...

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Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging
10:05

Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging

Published on: June 20, 2016

Sarcoplasmic reticulum function in smooth muscle.

Susan Wray1, Theodor Burdyga

  • 1Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3BX, United Kingdom. s.wray@liv.ac.uk

Physiological Reviews
|January 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in smooth muscle is a versatile organelle. It stores calcium, regulates excitability via calcium sparks, and influences cellular signaling in various organelles.

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Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Muscle Biology

Background:

  • The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in smooth muscle was initially viewed primarily as a calcium store.
  • Its role evolved beyond simple calcium storage to include complex regulatory functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in smooth muscle.
  • To explore the SR's functions in calcium homeostasis, excitability, and signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) functions in smooth muscle.
  • Synthesis of current understanding regarding SR calcium dynamics and signaling pathways.

Main Results:

  • The SR's functions extend to calcium storage, contraction, relaxation, and maintaining calcium homeostasis.
  • Emerging roles include generating local and global calcium signals and influencing other organelles.

Conclusions:

  • The SR is crucial for smooth muscle excitability, calcium signaling, and cellular microdomains.
  • Its diverse functions are vital in development, disease, and aging, necessitating an integrated approach.