Editing Muscle cell (section)

{{short description|Type of cell found in muscle tissue}}
{{Redirect2|Muscle fiber|Myofiber|protein structures inside cells|Myofibril}}
{{Infobox cell
| Name        = Muscle cell
| Latin       = myocytus
| Greek       =
| Image       = Synapse diag3.png
| Caption     = General structure of a [[Skeletal muscle|skeletal muscle cell]] and [[neuromuscular junction]]: {{ordered list |style=text-align: left; |[[Axon]] |[[Neuromuscular junction]] |[[Skeletal muscle#Skeletal muscle cells|Skeletal muscle fiber]] | [[Myofibril]]}}
| Width       =
| Image2      =
| Caption2    = 
| Location = [[Muscle]]
}}
A '''muscle cell''', also known as a '''myocyte''', is a mature contractile [[Cell (biology)|cell]] in the [[muscle]] of an animal.<ref name="MeSH">{{MeSH name|Myocytes}}</ref> In humans and other [[vertebrate]]s there are three types: [[skeletal muscle|skeletal]], [[smooth muscle|smooth]], and [[Cardiac muscle|cardiac]] (cardiomyocytes).<ref name="Brunet 2016">{{cite journal | last=Brunet | first=Thibaut | display-authors=etal | title=The evolutionary origin of bilaterian smooth and striated myocytes | journal=eLife | volume=5 | date=2016 | issn=2050-084X | doi=10.7554/elife.19607 | page=1| doi-access=free | pmc=5167519 }}</ref> A [[skeletal muscle cell]] is long and threadlike with [[multinucleated|many nuclei]] and is called a ''muscle fiber''.<ref name="Saladin2011">{{cite book |last1=Saladin |first1=Kenneth S. |title=Human anatomy |date=2011 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |location=New York |isbn=9780071222075 |pages=72–73 |edition=3rd}}</ref> Muscle cells develop from embryonic [[precursor cell]]s called [[myoblast]]s.<ref name="MeSH" />

Skeletal muscle cells form by [[cell fusion|fusion]] of myoblasts to produce [[multinucleated]] cells ([[syncytium|syncytia]]) in a process known as [[myogenesis]].<ref name=scott>{{cite journal|last1=Scott|first1=W|last2=Stevens|first2=J|last3=Binder-Macleod|first3=SA|title=Human skeletal muscle fiber type classifications.|journal=Physical Therapy|date=2001|volume=81|issue=11|pages=1810–1816|doi=10.1093/ptj/81.11.1810|pmid=11694174|url=http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/81/11/1810.full|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213021358/http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/81/11/1810.full|archive-date=2015-02-13|doi-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_anyone_know_why_skeletal_muscle_fibers_have_peripheral_nuclei_but_the_cardiomyocytes_not_What_are_the_functional_advantages |title=Does anyone know why skeletal muscle fibers have peripheral nuclei, but the cardiomyocytes not? What are the functional advantages? |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919005558/https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_anyone_know_why_skeletal_muscle_fibers_have_peripheral_nuclei_but_the_cardiomyocytes_not_What_are_the_functional_advantages |archive-date=2017-09-19 }}</ref> Skeletal muscle cells and cardiac muscle cells both contain [[myofibril]]s and [[sarcomere]]s and form a [[striated muscle tissue]].<ref name="opentext">{{cite web |title=Cardiac muscle tissue |date=6 March 2013 |url=https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiologyopenstax/chapter/cardiac-muscle-tissue/ |access-date=3 May 2021|last1=Betts |first1=J. Gordon |last2=Young |first2=Kelly A. |last3=Wise |first3=James A. |last4=Johnson |first4=Eddie |last5=Poe |first5=Brandon |last6=Kruse |first6=Dean H. |last7=Korol |first7=Oksana |last8=Johnson |first8=Jody E. |last9=Womble |first9=Mark |last10=Desaix |first10=Peter }}</ref>

Cardiac muscle cells form the [[cardiac muscle]] in the walls of the heart chambers, and have a single central [[Cell nucleus|nucleus]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Muscle tissues|url=http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/sci_ed/grade10/mammal/muscle.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013025029/http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/sci_ed/grade10/mammal/muscle.htm|archive-date=13 October 2015|access-date=29 September 2015}}</ref> Cardiac muscle cells are joined to neighboring cells by [[intercalated disc]]s, and when joined in a visible unit they are described as a ''cardiac muscle fiber''.<ref name="RBHT">{{cite web |title=Atrial structure, fibers, and conduction |url=https://www.rbht.nhs.uk/sites/nhs/files/Education%20and%20training/Ho-%20Atrial%20structure%20%26%20fibres%2C%20conduction.pdf |access-date=5 June 2021}}</ref>

Smooth muscle cells control involuntary movements such as the [[peristalsis]] contractions in the [[esophagus]] and [[stomach]]. Smooth muscle has no myofibrils or sarcomeres and is therefore non-striated. Smooth muscle cells have a single nucleus.