smooth muscle

noun

Definition of smooth muscle

: muscle tissue that lacks cross striations, is made up of elongated spindle-shaped cells having a central nucleus, and is found especially in vertebrate hollow organs and structures (such as the digestive tract and bladder) as thin sheets performing functions not subject to direct voluntary control and in all or most of the musculature of invertebrates other than arthropods — compare striated muscle

Examples of smooth muscle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As a result, the levels of cGMP/cAMP increase in the smooth muscle cells that line the walls of your blood vessels, which in turn cause the smooth muscles to relax and the blood vessels to dilate and expand. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 9 Apr. 2022 The intestines appeared to slow the movement of food, directing it down through the gut via gravity and contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. — Grace Huckins, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 The intestines appeared to slow the movement of food, directing it down through the gut via gravity and contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. — Grace Huckins, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 The intestines appeared to slow the movement of food, directing it down through the gut via gravity and contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. — Grace Huckins, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 The intestines appeared to slow the movement of food, directing it down through the gut via gravity and contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. — Grace Huckins, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 The intestines appeared to slow the movement of food, directing it down through the gut via gravity and contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. — Grace Huckins, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 The intestines appeared to slow the movement of food, directing it down through the gut via gravity and contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. — Grace Huckins, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 The intestines appeared to slow the movement of food, directing it down through the gut via gravity and contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. — Grace Huckins, Wired, 12 Aug. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smooth muscle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

17 Apr 2022

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“Smooth muscle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smooth%20muscle. Accessed 21 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for smooth muscle

smooth muscle

noun

Medical Definition of smooth muscle

: muscle tissue that lacks cross striations, that is made up of elongated spindle-shaped cells having a central nucleus, and that is found especially in vertebrate hollow organs and structures (as the small intestine and bladder) as thin sheets performing functions not subject to direct voluntary control and in all or most of the musculature of invertebrates other than arthropods

— called also nonstriated muscle, unstriated muscle

— compare cardiac muscle, striated muscle