Cardiac Histology (V):

This micrograph shows that in a similar fashion to the the function of the cytoskeletal filaments maintaining the sarcomeres in register, the extracellular matrix of the heart plays a role in maintaining the orderly array of the cardiac myocytes. Collagen bundles form bridges between the basal laminae of adjacent myocytes (struts and cables) and also between myocytes an capillaries.   This reticulum stain shows such bundles of collagen (black lines) forming bridges between adjacent myocytes.

Now that you have learned about the basic cellular components of the working cardiac muscle, is time to learn about other specialized myocytes such as the endocrine atrial myoctes (Cardiac Histology XI-F) and the specialized conduction system (Sinoatrial - SA, and Atrioventricular -AV) (which is specialized cardiac muscle (not nerves)) and other cellular components.