Smooth Muscle Quiz Anatomy
1. How many nuclei does a smooth muscle fiber contain?
a. One nucleus
b. Two nuclei
c. Three nuclei
d. Zero
The answer is a, one nucleus, which is located near the center of the smooth muscle cell.
2. Smooth muscle contains striations.
a. True
b. False
The answer is b, false. Unlike skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue, smooth muscle tissue does NOT contain
striations (stripes), due to its lack of sarcomeres. This is why it’s called smooth muscle!
3. Which answer below describes the shape of smooth muscle cells?
a. Irregular and branched
b. Long and cylindrical
c. Fusiform (spindle or football shaped)
d. Both a and b
The answer is c, fusiform. These cells taper at each end, giving the appearance of a football or spindle shape.
Skeletal muscle is long and cylindrical, and cardiac muscle features and irregular branched pattern.
4. How is smooth muscle controlled in the body?
a. Involuntarily
b. Voluntarily
The answer is a, involuntarily via the autonomic nervous system, as is cardiac muscle tissue. Skeletal muscle
tissue is the only muscle tissue type that is under voluntary control.
5. Where is smooth muscle found in the body?
a. Skin
b. Hollow organs
c. Blood vessels and tracts of respiratory, reproductive, and urinary system
d. Eyes
e. All of the above
1. How many nuclei does a smooth muscle fiber contain?
a. One nucleus
b. Two nuclei
c. Three nuclei
d. Zero
The answer is a, one nucleus, which is located near the center of the smooth muscle cell.
2. Smooth muscle contains striations.
a. True
b. False
The answer is b, false. Unlike skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue, smooth muscle tissue does NOT contain
striations (stripes), due to its lack of sarcomeres. This is why it’s called smooth muscle!
3. Which answer below describes the shape of smooth muscle cells?
a. Irregular and branched
b. Long and cylindrical
c. Fusiform (spindle or football shaped)
d. Both a and b
The answer is c, fusiform. These cells taper at each end, giving the appearance of a football or spindle shape.
Skeletal muscle is long and cylindrical, and cardiac muscle features and irregular branched pattern.
4. How is smooth muscle controlled in the body?
a. Involuntarily
b. Voluntarily
The answer is a, involuntarily via the autonomic nervous system, as is cardiac muscle tissue. Skeletal muscle
tissue is the only muscle tissue type that is under voluntary control.
5. Where is smooth muscle found in the body?
a. Skin
b. Hollow organs
c. Blood vessels and tracts of respiratory, reproductive, and urinary system
d. Eyes
e. All of the above
