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Structure of Smooth Muscles

  • Chapter
Pharmacology of Smooth Muscle

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 111))

Abstract

Smooth muscle is widespread; it is found in all viscera and vessels, and is a major component in the wall of all tubular organs (one of the few exceptions is the bile duct of some species, such as the rat, which has no muscle). The appearance of many smooth muscles under a microscope varies to an extent which is surprisingly small by comparison with the wide range of functional properties found in different muscles. Yet, the structure of the muscle, which comes to life only at the level of resolution that can be achieved by electron microscopy, has features which account for its different mechanical properties.

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  1. G. Gabella
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Albert-Szent-Györgyi Medical University, Dóm tér 12, P.O. Box 115, H-6720, Szeged, Hungary

    Laszló Szekeres M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Professor) & Julius Gy. Papp M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Professor) (Professor) &  (Professor)

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Gabella, G. (1994). Structure of Smooth Muscles. In: Szekeres, L., Papp, J.G. (eds) Pharmacology of Smooth Muscle. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 111. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78920-5_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78920-5_1

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