smooth muscle
smooth muscle, muscle that shows no cross stripes under microscopic magnification. It consists of narrow spindle-shaped cells with a single, centrally located nucleus. Smooth muscle tissue, unlike striated muscle, contracts slowly and automatically. It constitutes much of the musculature of internal organs and the digestive system.
Citation Information
Article Title:
smooth muscle
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
06 February 2022
Access Date:
February 22, 2025