Labster Logo

Sarcoplasmic reticulum

The sarcoplasmic reticulum is found in muscle cells where it stores and controls the relative concentration of Ca+ ions within the muscle cells.
The concentration of Ca+ is a factor in determining fiber activation.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum surrounding the individual muscle fibers in a skeletal muscle cell. The sarcoplasmic reticulum is illustrated as a blue colored net, wrapped around the myofibrils that are shown as long red filaments laying next to each other in parallel. Between the myofibrils are the mitochondria, which are illustrated in turquoise. The sarcoplasmic reticulum can be found under the sarcolemma, which is the surface of the muscle fiber and is illustrated in red. In the sarcolemma, you also find the nucleus which is illustrated as a dark oval shape. Within the sarcoplasmic reticulum are the T tubule, terminal cisterna and the triad, which are all a part of the reticulum

Fig.1 The sarcoplasmic reticulum is seen surrounding individual muscle fibers in a skeletal muscle cell