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Does the Terminal Cisternae Store Calcium?

Sarah Jenkins • • 6 min read
Does the Terminal Cisternae Store Calcium?

Terminal cisternae are discrete regions within the muscle cell. They store calcium (increasing the capacity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release calcium) and release it when an action potential courses down the transverse tubules

transverse tubules
T-tubules (transverse tubules) are extensions of the cell membrane that penetrate into the centre of skeletal and cardiac muscle cells. ... Through these mechanisms, T-tubules allow heart muscle cells to contract more forcefully by synchronising calcium release throughout the cell.
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, eliciting muscle contraction.

What role does the terminal cisternae play?

Terminal cisternae are enlarged areas of the sarcoplasmic reticulum surrounding the transverse tubules. ... Because terminal cisternae ensure rapid calcium delivery, they are well developed in muscles that contract quickly, such as fast twitch skeletal muscle.

What is stored in the Cisternae?

Inside the muscle fibre, the T-tubules lie next to the terminal cisternae of an internal membrane system derived from the endoplasmic reticulum, called the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), which is a store of calcium ions.

Sarah Jenkins
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Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.