VAN 121: Veterinary Gross Anatomy-II (2+2)

SMOOTH MUSCLE

• Smooth muscle is also called as non-striated or involuntary muscle, because the contraction of the muscle is not controlled by the will of the animal
• The muscle fibres don’t show cross striations under microscope. Hence, they get the name smooth muscle
• They make the bulk of the walls of the visceral organs and are also named as visceral muscles
• It is composed of fusiform or spindle shaped cells with a single nucleus at the centre
• The muscle fibres are generally arranged parallel to each other