smooth muscle

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. involuntary muscle tissue in the walls of viscera and blood vessels, consisting of nonstriated, spindle-shaped cells.

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smooth muscle British  

noun

1. muscle that is capable of slow rhythmic involuntary contractions: occurs in the walls of the blood vessels, alimentary canal, etc Compare striped muscle

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Etymology

Origin of smooth muscle

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

These microscopic channels connect neighboring smooth muscle cells so they contract together rather than independently.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

To learn more, Reilly and Pan closely tracked the development of transformed smooth muscle cells in mice with atherosclerosis and sampled plaques of people with atherosclerosis.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

Vascular tissue from healthy mice and people had no signs of smooth muscle cells with the DNA damage found in atherosclerotic plaques.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

The researchers could further accelerate atherosclerosis in mice by introducing a genetic mutation that increased DNA damage within the smooth muscle cells.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

In what form do smooth muscle fibers frequently occur?

From Hygienic Physiology : with Special Reference to the Use of Alcoholic Drinks and Narcotics by Steele, Joel Dorman