Intercalated disc
Intercalated discs or lines of Eberth are microscopic identifying features of cardiac muscle. Cardiac muscle consists of individual heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) connected by intercalated discs to work as a single functional syncytium. By contrast, skeletal muscle consists of multinucleated muscle fibers and exhibits no intercalated discs. Intercalated discs support synchronized contraction of cardiac tissue in a wave-like pattern so that the heart can work like a pump. They occur at the Z line of the sarcomere and can be visualized easily when observing a longitudinal section of the tissue.
| Intercalated disc | |
|---|---|
Cardiac muscle, an intercalated disc can be seen joining cardiomyocytes in magnified section | |
Intercalated discs, desmosomes and gap junctions in cardiac muscle fiber. | |
| Details | |
| Part of | Cardiac muscle |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | discus intercalaris, discus intercalatus |
| TH | H2.00.05.2.02006 |
| Anatomical terms of microanatomy | |
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