Final answer:
The matrix is not associated with muscle tissue; it relates to connective tissue, unlike spindles, striations, and intercalated disks which are integral components of skeletal and cardiac muscle tissues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The element that is not associated with muscle tissue among the options provided is matrix. In the context of muscle tissue, spindles refer to areas within the muscle fibers that are sensitive to stretch, striations are the visible lines seen in skeletal and cardiac muscle cells due to the ordered arrangement of sarcomeres, and intercalated disks are specialized structures found in cardiac muscle tissue. These intercalated disks allow adjacent cardiac muscle cells to join and communicate with one another, facilitating the synchronized contraction of the heart muscle. In contrast, matrix refers to the extracellular substance that surrounds cells in connective tissues, and it's not typically associated with muscle tissue, which is more defined by cellular structures to support contraction rather than extracellular matrices.
The correct answer is c. Matrix.
Matrix refers to the extracellular material that surrounds muscle cells. It is composed of proteins, fibers, and other substances that provide structural support to the muscle tissue. It is not directly associated with muscle contraction or the properties specific to muscle tissue.