smooth muscle (unstriated/unstriped/visceral muscle)

One of the muscle fibers of the internal organs, blood vessels, hair follicles, etc. Structure: - contractile elements are elongated, generally spindle-shaped with centrally located nuclei. - fiber length varies from 20 to 200 uM, even longer in the pregnant uterus. - both thin & thick myofibrils occur, but transverse striations are lacking - fibers are bound together into sheets or bundles by reticular fibers & frequently elastic nets Pathology: - see anti-smooth muscle antibody

Specific

arrectores pilorum muscles ciliary muscle (Bowman's muscle) dartos muscle detrusor muscle (musculi detrusor vesicae) dilator pupillae (dilator iridis) levator prostatae (puboprostaticus) ligament of Treitz muscularis muscularis mucosa myometrium rectococcygeus rectourethralis rectouterine muscle sphincter pupillae superior tarsal muscle (Muller muscle) trachealis muscle tunica media tunica muscularis; circular/longitudinal muscle of esophagus

References

Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1995