Skin Biopsy Specimen

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Features which can be seen in this image include:

• Smooth muscle occupies most of the area of this image.
• The nuclei of smooth muscle cells are quite long.  These nuclei may appear cigar-shaped (if straight) or worm-shaped (if wiggly) when cut in longitudinal-section.  In cross-section, smooth muscle nuclei appear small and round (giving the illusory appearance of being much smaller than any other nuclei of the body).  In planes of section which are neither neatly longitudinal nor neatly transverse -- as in this image -- smooth muscle nuclei appear variously elongated.
• The smooth muscle is surrounded by connective tissue of dermis, with fibers and ground substance.
• Many small features (such as individual smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts and collagen fibers) are not individually labelled.

Comments and questions: dgking@siu.edu

SIUC / School of Medicine / Anatomy / David King

http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/intro/skinbiop/du1SD3f1.htm
Last updated:  11 December 2007  / dgk