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What are t tubules ?,kindly explain their structure and function

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@praveen s

T-tubules: are extensions of the cell membrane that penetrate into the centre of skeletal and cardiac muscle cells. With membranes that contain large concentrations of ion channels, transporters, and pumps, T-tubules permit rapid transmission of the action potential into the cell.

Function: T-tubules permit rapid transmission of the action potential into the cell, and also play an important role in regulating cellular calcium concentration and allow heart muscle cells to contract more forcefully by synchronising calcium release throughout the cell. T-tubule structure may be affected by disease, potentially contributing to heart failure and arrhythmias.

Structure: Although these structures were first seen in 1897, research into T-tubule biology is ongoing. T-tubules are tubules formed from the same phospholipid bilayer as the surface membrane or sarcolemma of skeletal or cardiac muscle cells. They connect directly with the sarcolemma at one end before travelling deep within the cell, forming a network of tubules with sections running both transverse and axially to the sarcolemma. Due to this complex orientation, some refer to T-tubules as the transverse-axial tubular system.  
In cardiac muscle cells, T-tubules are between 20 and 450 nanometers in diameter and are usually located in regions called Z-discs where the actin filaments anchor within the cell. T-tubules within the heart are closely associated with the intracellular calcium store known as the sarcoplasmic reticulum in specific regions referred to as terminal cisternae. The association of the T-tubule with a terminal cistern is known as a diad.
In skeletal muscle cells, T-tubules are between 20 and 40 nm in diameter and are typically located either side of the myosin strip, at the junction of overlap between the A and I bands. T-tubules in skeletal muscle are associated with two terminal cisternae, known as a triad.

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Bishnu Parida

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