Iris sphincter muscle Iris sphincter muscle The iris sphincter muscle (pupillary sphincter, pupillary constrictor, circular muscle of iris, circular fibers) is a muscle in the part of the eye called the iris. It encircles the pupil of the iris, appropriate to its function as a constrictor of the pupil. It is found in vertebrates and some cephalopods. Initially, all the myocytes are of the smooth muscle type but, later in life, most cells are of the striated muscle type. Its dimensions are about 0.75 mm wide by 0.15 mm thick. In humans, it functions to constrict the pupil in bright light (pupillary light
Smooth muscle force. Similar to the mechanism of vertebrate smooth muscle, there is a low calcium and low energy utilization catch phase. This sustained phase or catch phase has been attributed to a catch protein that has similarities to myosin light-chain kinase and the elastic protein-titin called twitchin. Clams and other bivalve mollusks use this catch phase of smooth muscle to keep their shell closed for prolonged periods with little energy usage. Although the structure and function is basically the same in smooth muscle cells in different organs, their specific effects or end-functions differ. The contractile function of vascular smooth muscle regulates