Reading: RR&K, Chapter 10
SLIDE 27a skeletal muscle, monkey (H&E)
(RR&K p236, Fig. 1; p243, Fig 1; p215, Fig 10.1)
The two sections are longitudinal cuts of the gastrocnemius and soles muscles. Under low power identify the following structures: tendon, striated muscle, endomysium, perimysium, and epimysium (if present). Be able to distinguish muscle from tendon. Under higher power: Note the shape and organization of the muscle cells (fibers). Identify the myofibrils and muscle nuclei. The absence of H and I bands of the myofibrils is typical of contracted muscle. In fact, the dark bands that are observed are the Z disc. The nuclei are peripherally placed, which is characteristic of skeletal muscle. Note the distribution of blood capillaries in the endomysium and blood vessels in the perimysium. The cracks and gaps in the tissue indicate shrinkage due to fixation and dehydration and sectioning artifacts.
Check list for SLIDE 27a:
SLIDE 27b skeletal muscle, monkey (H&E)
(RR&K p236, Fig. 2,3)
The two sections are cross-sectional cuts of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Under low power identify the following structures: tendon, striated muscle, endomysium, perimysium, and epimysium (if present). Be able to distinguish muscle from tendon. Under higher power: Note the shape and organization of the muscle cells (fibers). Identify the myofibrils and muscle nuclei. The nuclei are peripherally placed, which is characteristic of skeletal muscle. Note the distribution of blood capillaries in the endomysium and blood vessels in the perimysium. The larger blood vessels contain a layer of smooth muscle deep to the endothelium. Compare the morphology of striated and smooth muscle.
Check list for SLIDE 27b:
SLIDE 27d skeletal muscle (H&E)
(RR&K p236, Fig. 1)
Under low power identify the following structures: striated muscle, endomysium, and perimysium. Under higher power, note the shape and organization of the muscle cells (fibers). Identify the myofibrils and muscle nuclei. This muscle has been stretched to enable you to observe the typical myofibril banding patterns of relaxed striated muscle. Observe these banding patterns using the oil immersion lens. What ultrastructural components of muscle fibers are responsible for the cross striations that are visible in the light microscope and the electron microscope? Identify satellite cells, which are interposed between the plasma membrane of the muscle fiber and its basal lamina. They have visible cytoplasm surrounding the nucleus. Those cells are responsible for limited regeneration of skeletal muscle.
Check list for SLIDE 27d:
SLIDE 13d heart, ventricular wall (H&E)
(RR&K p244, Fig. 1,2,3,4; p228, Fig. 10.11; p248, Fig. 1,2)
Examine cross and longitudinal sections of muscle fibers and compare fiber size, nuclear position, and general cell arrangement with that of striated muscle fibers. Note that these muscle fibers branch and anastomose with neighboring fibers. Cellular junctions are clearly demarcated by the presence of intercalated discs. A delicate endomysium can be seen between cardiac cells (cardiac myocytes). Observe the Purkinje fibers on this slide, which form the integral part of conductive system of the heart. These cells are larger than cardiac myocytes and irregularly shaped. They usually contain large amounts of glycogen, which does not stain with H&E.
Check list for SLIDE 13d: 
SLIDE 56i small intestine, rat (H&E)
(RR&K p487, Fig. 1,2,3)
Examine the two layers of tissue juxtaposed to the mesothelium. These layers are smooth muscle oriented at right angles to one another. That is, one layer is cut in longitude and one layer in cross-section. Observe the shape and general features of the muscle cells as seen in both longitudinal and cross-sectional planes. Bundles of smooth muscle fibers (cells) are separated by connective tissue septa. Smooth muscle does not have associated with it an endomysium, perimysium, or epimysium. Note that each fiber contains a single central nucleus. Can you find myofibrils? Why are the cross sectional profiles of the smooth muscle fibers variable in size and shape? Are there any other examples of smooth muscle on this slide?
Check list for SLIDE 56i: 
SLIDE 77a urinary bladder (H&E)
(RR&K p250, Fig. 1,2,3,4)
The smooth muscle layer of the urinary bladder is organized into irregular bundles separated from each other by small amounts connective tissue. This is a good slide to review the feature of smooth muscle on longitudinal, oblique and cross-sections. Note the differences in staining and cellular organization between smooth muscle and surrounding connective tissue. The staining intensities of muscle vary between histological preparations. To distinguish between smooth muscle and other tissues such as connective tissue, you must first recognize smooth muscle. This can be done by comparing the tissue in question with the smooth muscle commonly found around blood vessels.
Check list for SLIDE 77a:
Muscle tissue allows for many functions through contractile activity. The three muscle types are: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac.