Which types of muscle tissue are present in the sample?

Study for the CAMLPR Histology Practice Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Muscle tissues have distinct microscopic features that let you tell them apart. Skeletal muscle fibers are long and cylindrical with multiple nuclei located at the periphery and clear cross-striations. Cardiac muscle is striated as well but shows branched fibers with one or two central nuclei and intercalated discs connecting cells. Smooth muscle lacks striations entirely and is made of spindle-shaped cells with a single central nucleus, typical of walls of hollow organs. If the sample displays all three patterns—striated skeletal fibers with peripheral nuclei, striated cardiac fibers with intercalated discs, and non-striated smooth muscle fibers—then all three muscle tissue types are present.