A
myocyte is the type of
cellThe cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
found in muscles. They arise from
myoblastA myoblast is a type of embryonic progenitor cell that gives rise to muscle cells .The muscle cells can be skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle....
s.
Each myocyte contains myofibrils, which are long, long chains of sarcomeres, the contractile units of the cell.
There are various specialized forms of myocytes: cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle cells, with various properties.
Cardiac myocytes are responsible for generating the electrical impulses that control the
heartThe heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
rate, among other things. (See
Sinoatrial nodeThe sinoatrial node is the impulse-generating tissue located in the right atrium of the heart, and thus the generator of normal sinus rhythm. It is a group of cells positioned on the wall of the right atrium, near the entrance of the superior vena cava...
)
Kindlin-2 plays a role in elongation.
GATA4Transcription factor GATA-4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GATA4 gene.-Interactions:GATA4 has been shown to interact with NKX2-5, TBX5, ZFPM2, Serum response factor and HAND2.HDAC2- External links :...
and
GATA6Transcription factor GATA-6, also known as GATA-binding factor 6 , is protein that in humans is encoded by the GATA6 gene. The gene product preferentially binds GAT of the consensus binding sequence. It is also linked with embryonic cardiac development....
play a role in differentiation.