Asked by Michael Stacy on Jul 29, 2024
Verified
What are the specialized gap junctions found in cardiac muscle that conduct contraction stimuli from one cardiocyte to the next?
A) striations
B) desmosomes
C) tight junctions
D) intercalated discs
Intercalated Discs
Specialized connections between cardiomyocytes, containing gap junctions and desmosomes, facilitating synchronized heart contractions.
Cardiocyte
A muscle cell of the heart, specialized for continuous contractions that pump blood throughout the body.
Gap Junctions
Specialized intercellular connections that facilitate the direct transfer of ions and small molecules between the cytoplasm of adjacent cells.
- Understand the function of gap junctions in cardiac muscle.
Verified Answer
SF
Simone FeldmanAug 04, 2024
Final Answer :
D
Explanation :
Intercalated discs are specialized gap junctions found in cardiac muscle that conduct contraction stimuli from one cardiocyte to the next. Striations are the alternating light and dark bands seen in skeletal and cardiac muscle fibers, desmosomes are cellular junctions that anchor adjacent cells together, and tight junctions are found in epithelial cells and serve to seal adjacent cells together.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the function of gap junctions in cardiac muscle.