Structure of Skeletal Muscle Fiber
Every organelle and macromolecule of a muscle fiber are arranged to ensure form meets function. The plasma membrane is called the sarcolemma with the cytoplasm known as the sarcoplasm. In the sarcoplasm are the myofibrils. The myofibrils are long protein bundles about 1 micrometer in diameter each containing myofilaments. Pressed against the inside of the sarcolemma are the unusual flattened nuclei. Between the myofibrils are the mitochondria. While the muscle fiber does not have a smooth endoplasmic reticulum, it contains a sarcoplasmic reticulum. The sarcoplasmic reticulum surrounds the myofibrils and holds a reserve of the calcium ions needed to cause a muscle contraction. Periodically, it has dilated end sacs known as terminal cisternae. These cross the muscle fiber from one side to the other. In between two terminal cisternae is a tubular infoldings called a transverse tubule (T tubule). The T tubule are the pathway for the action potential to signal the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release calcium causing a muscle contraction. Together, two terminal cisternae and a transverse tubule form a triad.
Read more about this topic: Skeletal Muscle, Muscle Fibers
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