Striated muscle

Striated muscle is a type of muscle tissue that is marked by transverse dark and light bands, is made up of elongated fibers, and includes skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle.

Structure

Striated muscle tissue is characterized by its striations, which are caused by the arrangement of sarcomeres, the basic unit of a muscle's cross-striated myofibril. The sarcomeres are composed of long, fibrous proteins that slide past each other when the muscles contract and relax. These proteins include actin and myosin.

Skeletal Muscle

Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue that is under voluntary control of the somatic nervous system. Most skeletal muscles are attached to bones by bundles of collagen fibers known as tendons.

Cardiac Muscle

Cardiac muscle is an involuntary, striated muscle that constitutes the main tissue of the walls of the heart. It is responsible for the rhythmic contractions of the heart that pump blood throughout the body.

Function

Striated muscles are primarily responsible for the movement of the body and the maintenance of posture. Skeletal muscles contract to produce movement at the joints, and they are stimulated by motor neurons. Cardiac muscle contracts to pump blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

See also

• Smooth muscle
• Muscle contraction
• Myofibril
• Sarcomere

External links

• Striated Muscle - NCBI Bookshelf
• Striated Muscle - Britannica