Describe the three types of muscular tissue


Test your knowledge of the three types of muscular tissue by answering the following questions. If you get stuck on any of them, you'll find the answers in the article below.


1. Voluntary muscle is also known as ________ muscle.


2. The muscle tissue found in the heart is called __________ tissue.


3. __________ muscles tire quickly.


4. ____________ muscle lines the walls of the stomach and intestine.


5. Smooth muscle is also known as ___________ muscle.


6. A ___________ muscle closes an orifice.



Describe the three types of muscular tissue


The three main types of muscular tissue are voluntary (striated), involuntary (smooth), and cardiac.


In accordance with the will, voluntary muscles pass over a joint function in pairs, or as a group, to bring about the co-ordinated movements of various bones of the skeleton, hence the name skeletal muscles. They are also involved in the breathing process. The contraction of skeletal muscle tissue is very quick and forceful on stimulation by a nerve fibre, but these muscles tire quickly. They therefore need a good supply of blood, and thereby oxygen, to avoid fatigue.


Smooth muscle controls slow, involuntary movements such as the contraction of the walls of the stomach and intestines, or the contraction and relaxation of the arteries to regulate the blood pressure and the flow of blood. It is controlled by autonomic nerves and is considered involuntary because it is not under conscious control. The individual muscle cells are smaller than those in skeletal muscle, and are spindle shaped.


Cardiac muscle is a unique tissue found only in the walls of the heart. It automatically and involuntarily causes the rhythmic beating of the heart, circulating the blood and its contents throughout the body. Its fibres, like those of skeletal muscle, have cross-striations, however they are shorter and the striations are not so obvious.


There are also sphincter muscles within the body. These circular bands of muscle are around orifices inside the body which they are able to close or partially close. Examples would be the pyloric sphincter (between the stomach and the small intestine), or the anal sphincter.









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