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Bridging junctional processes in couplings of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle
Author(s) -
Forbes Michael S.,
Sperelakis Nick
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880050903
Subject(s) - endoplasmic reticulum , sarcolemma , cardiac muscle , anatomy , gap junction , skeletal muscle , ultrastructure , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , biophysics , intracellular
Junctional processes are found in the junctional gap of couplings in skeletal, cardiac, and vascular smooth muscle cells. Visualization of the structure of junctional processes is greatly facilitated by the use of a tilting specimen stage and stereoscopic analysis. Relatively small changes of tilt angle create a spectrum of images for the same junctional process which can range from that of an amorphous electron‐opaque body to a distinct linear structure (“pillar”). In both striated and smooth muscles, pillars connect the sarcolemma with the limiting membrane of junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (J‐SR). In addition, in vascular smooth muscle cells, pillars join the J‐SR with surface‐connected caveolae.