18. L.S. of Smooth Muscle
The smooth muscle fibers group in branching bundles. As opposed to skeletal muscle fibers these bundles do not run strictly parallel and ordered but consist in a complex system. Cell Shape: Fusiform (spindle-shaped) with tapering ends. Nucleus: Single, centrally located, oval to cigar-shaped nucleus. Striations: Absent (unlike skeletal muscle), giving the muscle a "smooth" appearance.