This document summarizes the anatomy and contractile mechanism of smooth muscle. It discusses that smooth muscle lacks striations and contains fewer myosin filaments than skeletal muscle. Contraction occurs via a sliding filament mechanism involving calcium activation of calmodulin and myosin light chain kinase, resulting in phosphorylation of myosin heads and actin-myosin crossbridge cycling. Smooth muscle contractions are slower but can last longer than skeletal muscle contractions, requiring less energy through a latch mechanism that maintains tension.