Question

Which of the following microscopic structures is only found in the cardiac muscle tissue?

Answer 1

The correct answer is: d) intercalated discs

Cardiac muscle tissue is muscle tissue found in the heart.  It is similar to skeletal muscle in that both are striated and organized into sarcomeres but cardiac muscle fibers are shorter and usually contain only one nucleus in the central region of the myocyte (muscle cell). Cardiac muscle fibers are rich in mitochondria and myoglobin, (ATP is produced primarily through aerobic metabolism), are extensively branched and are connected to one another by intercalated discs. An intercalated disc is a structure that enables the propagation of contraction among muscle cells: it allows the muscle cells to contract in a wave-like pattern.