Which of the following type of cells contain Intercalated discs?
Intercalated discs are characteristic of cardiac myocytes. These are specialized intercellular junctions which join cardiac muscle fibers to one another. They provide a strong union between fibers, maintaining cell to cell cohesion, so that pull of one contractile cell can be transmitted along its axis to the next. Must Know: Components of Intercalated disks: Various regions of intercalated disks contain specific types of junctions such as: Fasciae adherens: It is the major component of transverse poion. This adhering plate in the junction binds cardiac muscle cells to each other at their ends to form the fiber. It is analogous in structure to zonula adherens. Gap junctions: It is the major component of lateral poion. This provides a path for ionic conductivity between adjacent muscle cells allowing contractile cells to pass between them. This allows them to behave as a functional syncitium. Desmosomes: present in both transverse and lateral poion of the intercalated disk. Ref: NMS Histology, 3e By Ray C. Henrikson, page 93
Smooth muscle cell
Skeletal muscle cell
Cardiac myocytes
None