Human Body and it’s Muscles; How do they Differ?
There are three types of muscles in the body, which are skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles. These muscles differ in structure, location, and how they function and improve total body functioning. Skeletal muscles act to facilitate voluntary movements, and smooth muscles control the actions carried out involuntarily within an organ or blood vessel. Cardiac muscles specifically cause the contraction and pumping of blood in the heart. Understanding, and this helps explain skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle distinctions; these provide incredibly valuable insight into the wide mechanisms and roles they play in serving a healthy body and all functionalities.
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What is Skeletal Smooth and Cardiac Muscle?
Skeletal Muscle : Skeletal muscle is a muscular tissue that comes in direct contact with the bones within the body. Its movements are seemingly voluntary because it can cause movement to walk, run or lift an object. Long cylindrical fibers in skeletal muscles have more than one nucleus.
Cardiac Muscle: Cardiac muscle is spatially limited to the walls of the heart itself; it is called myocardium. It constitutes the involuntary contractions that pump around the blood in the body.
Smooth Muscle: Smooth muscle is found in the internal organs and also in the inner walls of blood vessels and the structures of the digestive, respiratory, and reproductive systems.
Interesting Facts
Skeletal Muscle : The human body contains over 600 skeletal muscles, accounting for about 40% of total body weight.
Cardiac Muscle: The cardiac muscle exists only in the heart, which then beats continuously and chronically during the life of the organism.
Smooth Muscle: Smooth muscles exist within many organs and structures in the human body, which range from the walls of blood vessels, digestive organs, to respiratory airways.
Characteristics of Skeletal Smooth and Cardiac Muscle
Skeletal Muscle:
Voluntary Control: Skeletal muscles are under conscious control, allowing us to initiate and regulate their contraction.
Striated Appearance: Skeletal muscles have a striated or striped appearance due to the organized arrangement the actin and myosin filaments.
Smooth Muscle:
Involuntary Control: Smooth muscles are not under the voluntary control and act involuntarily, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
Non-Striated Appearance: Smooth muscles do not have striations because actin and myosin filaments are arranged in an unorganized manner.
Cardiac Muscle:
Specialized junctions called the intercalated discs connect cardiac muscle cells, which contract in concert. In cardiac muscle, there are going-on continuous and rhythmic contractions that result in continued circulation of blood around the body.
Difference Between Skeletal, Smooth and Cardiac Muscle
| S.No |
Category |
Skeletal |
Smooth |
Cardiac |
|
1 |
Location |
Skeletal muscle are found attached to bones and skin. |
Smooth muscle cells line walls the internal organs. |
Cardiac muscles are found only in the heart. |
|
2 |
Regulation |
The skeletal muscle are under regulation of the nervous system. |
Smooth muscles are a under regulation of the nervous system, endocrine system, various chemicals, and stretching. |
Cardiac muscles are a under regulation of the nervous system, endocrine system, and various chemicals. |
|
3 |
Contraction |
Skeletal muscles exhibit fast contraction.
. |
Smooth muscles exhibit slower contractions. |
Cardiac muscles have an intermediate speeds of contraction. But, these contractions quickly spread throughout the muscle via intercalated disks. |
Summary
The skeletal muscle is a voluntary, striated muscle attached to bones and forms quick and strong movements. The smooth muscle is an involuntary, non-striated muscle found in the walls of various organs, providing slow, continuous contractions. The cardiac muscle is found only within the heart, and its contraction is involuntary, rhythmic and provides constant beating with continuous blood circulation. The three types of muscles differ in control, appearance, location, and function and are all critical factors behind movement, organ function, and cardiovascular health; thus, it explains the difference between skeletal smooth, and cardiac muscle.