Filament Organization in Vertebrate Smooth Muscle

Thin (actin), thick (myosin) and intermediate filaments are described in vertebrate smooth muscle. The thick filaments are present in relaxed, contracted, stretched and unstretched vertebrate smooth muscle and bear lateral projections suggestive of cross-bridges. The relatively regular thick filamen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences Biological sciences, 1973-03, Vol.265 (867), p.223-229
Main Authors: Somlyo, A. P., Devine, C. E., Somlyo, Avril V., Rice, R. V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylcholine - pharmacology
Actins
Animals
Anura
Electron microscopy
Intermediate filaments
Mesenteric veins
Mesenteric Veins - cytology
Mesenteric Veins - drug effects
Mice
Microfilaments
Microscopy, Electron
Muscle Contraction
Muscle, Smooth - cytology
Muscle, Smooth - drug effects
Muscles
Myofibrils
Myosins
Osmium
Rabbits
Smooth muscle
The Mechanism of Contraction
Vertebrates
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Description
Summary:Thin (actin), thick (myosin) and intermediate filaments are described in vertebrate smooth muscle. The thick filaments are present in relaxed, contracted, stretched and unstretched vertebrate smooth muscle and bear lateral projections suggestive of cross-bridges. The relatively regular thick filament lattice of the rabbit portal-anterior mesenteric vein can be aggregated by hypertonic solutions and excessive stretch. The intermediate filaments are morphologically distinct and clearly not breakdown products of thick filaments.
ISSN:0962-8436
0080-4622
1471-2970
2054-0280
DOI:10.1098/rstb.1973.0027