This cross section of cardiac muscle shows the centrally located nuclei and irregular shape that are characteristic of cardiac muscle. The irregular shape is partly related to the fact that cardiac muscle cells branch. The spaces between the cells mark the location of extracellular matrix, although the spaces are wider here than in the living tissue due to shrinkage of the cells during preparation..
Stain = H&E.
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| Copyright by: Paul B. Bell, Jr. & Barbara Safiejko-Mroczka |
The University of Oklahoma