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Questions and Answers
What type of muscle is found in the walls of the gut and blood vessels, and how does it differ from striated muscle?
Smooth muscle is found in the gut and blood vessel walls; it is involuntary and non-striped, while striated muscle is voluntary and has a striped appearance.
Describe the unique features of cardiac muscle and explain its contraction mechanism.
Cardiac muscle is striated with fibers joined by intercalated discs and contracts spontaneously without needing nervous or hormonal stimulation.
What is the primary structural unit of skeletal muscle, and how do myofibrils contribute to muscle function?
The primary structural unit of skeletal muscle is the sarcomere, and myofibrils made of parallel sarcomeres allow for rapid contraction and movement.
How does the control mechanism of smooth muscle differ from that of skeletal muscle?
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Explain why cardiac muscle does not fatigue, in contrast to striated muscle.
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Study Notes
Smooth Muscle
- Non-striated, involuntary muscle
- Found in the walls of the gut and blood vessels
- Controlled by the autonomic nervous system
- Contracts and fatigues slowly
Cardiac Muscle
- Found in the heart
- Striated muscle with fibers joined by intercalated discs
- Contracts spontaneously, meaning it doesn't require nervous or hormonal stimulation
- Does not fatigue
Striated (Skeletal) Muscle
- Voluntary muscle attached to the skeleton, responsible for locomotion
- Controlled by the somatic nervous system
- Appears striated under a microscope
- Contracts and fatigues rapidly
- Composed of numerous myofibrils arranged in parallel
- Each myofibril is made up of sarcomeres, the fundamental unit of muscle structure
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Description
This quiz covers the three main types of muscles: smooth, cardiac, and skeletal. Understand their characteristics, functions, and how they are controlled by the nervous system. Test your knowledge on muscle structure and their roles in the human body.
