Difference Between Striated Muscles and Smooth Muscles

What are Striated Muscles?

Striated muscles are more known as skeletal muscles, identified as having a striped appearance, or striations. These muscles are primarily responsible for voluntary movements and are mainly attached to bones.

Structure of Striated Muscles

• Striations: The alternating presence of light and dark bands gives striated muscles an appearance that makes them easily recognizable under a microscope. This striation results from the arrangement of the myofilaments, actin and myosin, in an orderly fashion.

• Multinucleated: Striated muscle fibres are long, cylindrical, and multinucleated; that is, each cell contains multiple nuclei.

• Connective Tissue: The striated muscles are enclosed in connective tissue, which supports the muscle fibres and protects them.

Functions of Striated Muscles

• Voluntary Movement: During the performance of movements, striated muscles provide conscious control. This includes walking, running, lifting, etc.

• Maintaining Posture: These muscles contribute much to maintaining posture and stabilization of joints during movement.

• Body Temperature Maintenance: The contractions of striated muscles result in heat that contributes to the maintenance of core body temperature.

What are Smooth Muscles?

Smooth muscles are non-striated involuntary muscles that are found within the walls of hollow organs and blood vessels. They execute involuntary movements and functions within the human body.

Structure Of Smooth Muscles

• Non-Striated: Smooth muscles lack the striations seen on the striated muscles. This makes them smooth in appearance and thus not striated in microscopic view.

• Single Nucleus: Smooth muscle fibres are spindle-shaped and contain a single nucleus in each cell.

• Involuntary Control: Smooth muscles are controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which makes provisions for involuntary control over different functions of the body.

Functions of Smooth Muscles

• Involuntary Movement: The smooth muscles provide for involuntary movements; for instance, peristalsis in the alimentary canal and contraction of blood vessels.

• Regulation of Organ Function: Smooth muscles control the diameter of blood vessels and the movement of substances through hollow organs.

Key Differences Between Striated Muscles And Smooth Muscles

Some of the major differences between striated muscles and smooth muscles are:

Importance of Striated and Smooth Muscles in Human Health

Importance of striated and smooth muscles in human health are:

• Both striated and smooth muscles are important for overall health and function.

• Striated muscles allow for voluntary movements and actions while smooth muscles facilitate many of the involuntary processes necessary to maintain life.

• When these muscles do not function properly, some serious medical consequences can develop.

Striated vs Smooth Muscles NEET MCQs (With Answers & Explanations)

Important topics for NEET exam are:

• Striated vs Smooth Muscles (Nuclei, control, striations)

• Reason for Striations

• Location in the Body

• Examples of Each

Practice Questions for NEET

Q1. Which of the following is true regarding the skeletal muscles?

1. These are involuntary muscles.

2. These are voluntary muscles.

3. These are multinucleated.

4. Both b and c

Correct answer: 4) Both b and c

Explanation:

1. It is not true that these muscles are involuntary. Since skeletal muscles are voluntary so cognitive control over them is possible. For example, you have control over how your arms and legs move.

2. These muscles are voluntary: That is right. Because we can consciously regulate skeletal muscles to carry out actions like walking, running, and lifting, they are voluntary.

3. It is also true that they are multinucleated. Because skeletal muscle fibres are multinucleated, they each have several nuclei. This is because throughout development many cells fuse to generate them.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4) Both b and c.

Q2. Smooth muscles are

1. Unstriated, involuntary, fusiform

2. Unstriated, involuntary, cylindrical

3. Unstriated, voluntary, fusiform

4. Striated, involuntary, fusiform

Correct answer: 1) Unstriated, involuntary, fusiform

Explanation:

Smooth muscles, also known as unstriped, non-striated, visceral, or involuntary muscles, are found in the posterior part of the esophagus, stomach, intestines, lungs, urogenital tract, urinary bladder, blood vessels, iris of the eye, and dermis of the skin. These elongated, spindle-shaped muscle fibers contain a single oval nucleus and do not connect to the skeleton. Smooth muscles are involuntary, meaning they function without conscious control, and lack the striations characteristic of skeletal muscles.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1) Unstriated, involuntary, fusiform.

Q3. Muscles involved in the movement of arm are

1. Striated

2. Unstriated

3. Cardiac

4. Smooth

Correct answer: 1) Striated

Explanation:

Skeletal muscles are present in the tongue, pharynx, upper part of the oesophagus, external sphincter of anus, external urethral, and diaphragm. The diaphragm is under involuntary control. Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle. Skeletal muscles are primarily attached to bones and are responsible for voluntary movements, such as walking and lifting. They are striated muscles, meaning they have a banded appearance due to the regular arrangement of actin and myosin filaments. Although most skeletal muscles are under voluntary control, some, like the diaphragm, are controlled involuntarily, allowing for essential functions like breathing.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1) Striated.

Also Read:

• MCQs on Skeletal Muscles

• Muscular Tissues

• Difference between Plasma and Platelets