MUSCLES AND TENDONS
Cardiac muscle
A transmission electron micrograph showing a longitudinal section of cardiac (heart) muscle, in which the sarcomere structure and a large intercalated disc can be seen.
Credit: Professor Giorgio Gabella, Wellcome Images
Relaxed skeletal muscle
A colour-enhanced transmission electron micrograph of myofibrils in an uncontracted skeletal muscle cell (muscle fibre), showing the structure of the sarcomere with its dark
and light bands between the two Z-discs.
Credit: University of Edinburgh, Wellcome Images
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Striated muscle
A light micrograph of a stained longitudinal section through striated muscle.
Credit: Spike Walker, Wellcome Images
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Glycogen stored in muscle
A transmission electron micrograph showing glycogen storage in a muscle cell. Some glycogen granules are dispersed around the many mitochondria in
between the contractile myofibrils, but most of the glycogen is in a large area at the edge of the cell.
Credit: Mike Kayser, Wellcome Images
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Historical experiments on frog nerves
Galvani’s experiments on the sciatic nerve of frogs. This was the first detection of galvanic currents. From ‘Memorie sulla elettricita animale’ by Luigi Galvani (Bologna, 1797).
Credit: Wellcome Library, London
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Muscle cross-section
A cross-section diagram of a muscle, showing fibres.
Credit: Miles Kelly Art Library, Wellcome Images
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Ruptured tendon
A confocal image showing damaged collagen fibres in a ruptured tendon. The area of wavy fibres to the lower right shows the normal, healthy appearance of a tendon. The waviness
allows the whole tendon to have a small amount of elasticity (between 2 and 10 per cent); the collagen fibres themselves do not stretch.
Credit: Martin Knight, Wellcome Images
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Reusing our images
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