Fundamentals of Neurosciences

Smooth Muscle

Dr. Kumar Sambamurti

613-SEI; 792-4315; [email protected]

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 Smooth Muscle
Structure

•  Cells much smaller than skeletal

muscle

–  (2-5µM diam, 100-400µM long)

•  Single central nucleus

•  Tapering spindle shape

•  No visible striations with light
microscope

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 Myofilament Organization

•  Contains both
actin & myosin

•  More actin and
less myosin than
skeletal Muscle

•  Lower
contractile force

•  Myofilaments loosely oriented in long axis of cell

•  Force transferred to cell membrane by intermediate filaments

•  Meshwork linked together at dense bodies

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Shortening in Smooth Muscle

•  Actin & myosin overlap

•  Slide along each other during contraction

•  Meshwork becomes more compact

•  Cell shortens and fattens

•  Increase in intracellular free Ca++ is
necessary for contraction

•  Much Ca ++ comes from extracellular fluid

(ECF)

–  Entry through cell membrane

•  Some Ca ++ released from internal vesicles
(SR)

•  Mechanisms to trigger Ca increase:

–  Spontaneous Membrane depolarization

–  Depol. By Extrinsic nerve supply (autonomics)

–  Chemical messengers

•  Local & blood-borne; Hormones , metabolites

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 Membrane specializations

•  Caveoli - small membrane •  Gap junctions

–  Between most smooth Muscle cells

pits

–  Possible role in Ca++ entry
•  Allow spread of ions and
•  Sarcoplasmic reticulum less depolarization between cells

extensive than skel. Musc.
•  Many cells act as syncytial unit

–  All cells contract together

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 Single-Unit Smooth Muscle

•  Gap junctions

–  Between most smooth Muscle
cells

•  Allow spread of ions and
depolarization between cells

•  Many cells act as syncytial unit

–  All cells contract together

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 Autonomic Innervation

•  NT released from synaptic varicosities

•  Effects many cells at once

•  Two divisions:

–  Sympathetic - nor-epi. & Epi.

–  Parasympathetic - Acetylcholine

•  Most cells have dual reciprocal innervation

•  Diff. Transmitters have diff. Effects at diff. sites

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Spontaneous Depolarization - Pacemaker Potentials

•  Typical smooth muscle cell has oscillating membrane potential

–  Spontaneous rythmicity

•  Subthreshold -slow wave potentials

•  Above threshold - triggers action potentials

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 Contractile activity proportional to Depolarization

•  Has contractile activity in absence of direct nerve supply

•  Contractile force proportional to depolarization

–  Subthreshold depol. - low contraction force

–  Depol. Above threshold - produces action potentials - Results in large
contractile force

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 Sources of Ca++ and Contraction

•  Two sources:

•  Sarcoplasmic reticular stores (intracellular)

–  Rapid release

–  Phasic contraction

–  Limited amount

•  Entry from ECF

–  Slower response

•  Large amounts - prolonged availability

–  Tonic activity

•  Stretch can directly result in entry of Ca++ and contraction

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 Regulation of Contraction by Ca++

•  Intracellular Ca ++ conc.
regulates contractile force

•  Much Ca ++ comes from ECF

–  Entry through cell membrane

•  Some Ca ++ released from
internal vesicles (SR)

•  Mechanisms to trigger Ca
increase:

–  Membrane depolarization

–  Extrinsic nerve supply
(autonomics)

–  Chemical messengers

•  Local & blood-borne

•  Hormones , metabolites

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 Regulation of [Ca++]
i
•  ICF concentration is balance
between entry and removal

•  Entry:

–  Membrane depolarization

•  V-gated Ca++ channels

–  Hormones, metabolites

•  Receptor activated channels

–  Second messengers cause release
from SR stores

•  Removal: Outward across cell membrane & into SR vesicles

–  1) Active transport, 2) Na/ Ca exchange

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Regulation of Cross-
bridge activity

•  Smooth muscle lacks
Troponin

•  Cross-bridges
activated
(phosphorylated) by
myosin kinase

•  Myosin kinase
activated by Ca++
binding to
calmodulin

621 - Smooth Muscle

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 Relationship between contraction force 
and membrane Potential

•  Action potentials
- greater
contractile force
(A&B)

•  Slow potentials -
low contractile
force (B&C)

•  Humoral agents - can produce force without

change in membrane potential (D)

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 Comparison of muscle types

Skeletal
Cardiac
Smooth

Location
Attached to bones
Heart
Visceral organs

Autonomic; Autonomic;
Innervation
Somatic; Voluntary

Involuntary
Involuntary

Appearance
Striated
Striated
Non-striated

Fibre Diameter
80-100 µ m
10-15 µ m
2-5 µ m

Fibre Length
< 340 mm
200 µ m
100-400 µ m

Fibre Large, solitary branched

small spindles

Appearance
bands
network

Nuclei
Multi Peripheral
Single Central
Single Central

Relatively small
Large, oval
largest

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 Characteristics of Muscle fibers

Skeletal
Single unit
Multiunit
Cardiac

Sarcomere
Y
N
N
Y

Trans. Tub.
Y
N
N
Y

Sarc. Ret.
High
Low
Low
Inter

Gap junct.
N
Y
Few
Y

Ca++ source
SR
SR/ECF
SR/ECF
SR/ECF

Ca++ Target
Troponin
Myosin
Myosin
Troponin

Pacemaker
N
Y
N
Some

Tone
N
Y
N
N

Nerve stimulation
Ex
Ex/Inh
Ex/Inh
Ex/Inh

Hormone effect
N
Y
Y
Y

Stretch
N
Y
N
N

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 Summary

•  Smooth muscles are uninucleate spindle-shaped cells lacking
striations. Actin myosin units distributed along long axis linked
to dense bodies (α-actinin) and use intermediate filaments.

•  Cause contraction by actin-myosin sliding, but trigger is by
extracellular and intracellular Ca++.

•  Ca++-calmodulin activates kinase to phosphorylate myosin.

•  Classified to single and multiunit. Gap junctions connect single
unit, innervated at one place, mostly close to pacemaker.
Multiunit richly innervated.

•  Autonomic nervous system innervates smooth muscle with one
neuron signaling to multiple muscles via varicosities and each
fiber can get inputs from both sympathetic and parasympathetic
pathways.

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 Major Questions

1.  What kind of muscle is used to create force and movement in most hollow
organs?

2.  What are the characteristics of smooth muscle? How is it different from
skeletal (striated) muscle? What is its structural organization?

3.  What is the function of gap junctions in smooth muscle? What is single-unit
smooth muscle? Why is it significant that this is the main type of muscle
found in the gut?

4.  What are the mechanisms by which contraction in smooth muscle can be
regulated?

5.  What is the source of the spontaneous rhythmicity of G.I. tract smooth
muscle?

6.  What is the relationship of membrane potential and contractile force in
smooth muscle?

7.  What is the effect of rapid stretch on smooth muscle membrane potential?
What functional role does this have?

8.  What are the mechanisms of coupling between stimulation and force
generation in smooth muscle? How is intracellular Ca++ regulated?

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