What is the Difference Between Striated Non Striated and Cardiac Muscles?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The human body contains three types of muscles: striated (skeletal), smooth (unstriated), and cardiac muscles. Each type has distinct structural and functional characteristics:
Striated (Skeletal) Muscles:
- Structure: Cylindrical, multinucleated, and branched cells.
- Location: Found in body structures like hands, legs, and tongue.
- Characteristics: Voluntary muscles, responsible for movement, and attached to bones by tendons.
Smooth (Unstriated) Muscles:
- Structure: Spindle-shaped cells with uninucleated cores.
- Location: Found in organs like blood vessels, small intestine, and small stomach.
- Characteristics: Involuntary muscles that contract slowly and rhythmically, controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
Cardiac Muscles:
- Structure: Cylindrical cells with uninucleated cores.
- Location: Found in the walls of the heart.
- Characteristics: Involuntary muscles that contract involuntarily, strongly, and rhythmically, controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
In summary, the main differences between striated, unstriated, and cardiac muscles are their structure, location, and function. Striated muscles are cylindrical and branched, located in limbs and body structures, and responsible for voluntary movement. Unstriated muscles are spindle-shaped and found in internal organs, while cardiac muscles are cylindrical and located in the walls of the heart, both types being involuntary.
Comparative Table: Striated Non Striated vs Cardiac Muscles
Here is a table comparing the differences between striated, non-striated, and cardiac muscles:
| Feature | Striated Muscles (Skeletal) | Non-Striated Muscles (Smooth) | Cardiac Muscles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Cylindrical, multinucleated | Spindle-shaped, uninucleated | Cylindrical, uninucleated |
| Structure | Cells are long, cylindrical, and branched | Cells are short, spindle-shaped | Cells are short, cylindrical, and branched |
| Location | Found in body structures like hands, legs, and tongue | Found in the linings of the alimentary canal and blood vessels | Found in the walls of the heart |
| Presence of Bands | Dark and light bands present | No bands present | Few faint bands present |
| Motor Control | Voluntary, under conscious control | Involuntary, not under conscious control | Involuntary, under control of nervous and endocrine systems |
| Contraction Speed | Fast contraction speed | Slow contraction speed | Intermediate contraction speed |
| Contraction Fatigue | Doesn't fatigue easily | Fatigues easily | Doesn't fatigue easily |
Striated muscles, also known as skeletal muscles, are voluntary muscles that are attached to bones by tendons. They are responsible for movement in the body and are under conscious control.
Non-striated muscles, also known as smooth muscles, are involuntary muscles that are present in the linings of the alimentary canal, blood vessels, and other internal organs. They are not under conscious control and work automatically.
Cardiac muscles are also involuntary and are found in the walls of the heart. They are under the control of the nervous and endocrine systems and are responsible for the rhythmic contractions of the heart.
- Skeletal Muscle vs Cardiac Muscle
- Smooth Muscle vs Cardiac Muscle
- Smooth Muscle vs Skeletal Muscle
- Voluntary vs Involuntary Muscles
- Skeletal vs Smooth Muscle Contraction
- Contractile Myocardium vs Autorhythmic Myocardium
- Innervated vs Denervated Muscles
- Contractile vs Noncontractile Tissue
- Actin vs Myosin
- Muscle Cells vs Nerve Cells
- Myofibril vs Muscle Fiber
- Aerobic vs Anaerobic Muscles
- Muscular Tissue vs Nervous Tissue
- Myofibrils vs Sarcomeres
- Chordates vs Non Chordates
- Myogenic vs Neurogenic Heart
- Muscle Tone vs Muscle Strength
- Dyad vs Triad Muscle
- Myocardium vs Pericardium