Connections Between Skeletal Muscle Cells & AP Transmission

[biophysics]

I know that smooth and cardiac muscle cells (myofibers) are connected to each other by gap junctions.

How are skeletal muscle cells connected to each other (to transmit the AP)?

Thanks, any responses appreciated

 

[Dale]

I know that smooth and cardiac muscle cells (myofibers) are connected to each other by gap junctions.

How are skeletal muscle cells connected to each other (to transmit the AP)?

Thanks, any responses appreciated

In skeletal muscle a muscle fiber is a single cell. There is therefore no need for gap junctions or other transmission mechanism. However, skeletal muscle is weird in the fact that the muscle fiber cell has multiple nuclei. IIRC, at some point in development they were separate cells each with one nucleus whose membranes fused together to make a single multinuclear cell.

 

[biophysics]

are u saying that a single myofiber (multinucleate) is composed of multiple cells that have fused to form 1 cell (the myofiber)

thanks

 

[Dale]

Yes, IIRC, but you may want to look it up since it has been several years since I took physiology.