How do you distinguish between a skeletal muscle and a cardiac muscle?
Skeletal muscles and cardiac muscles can be distinguished based on their location, structure, and nature of control.
Skeletal muscles are closely associated with the skeletal components of the body. They have a striped appearance under the microscope and hence are called striated muscles. Their activities are under the voluntary control of the nervous system, so they are known as voluntary muscles. They are primarily involved in locomotory actions and changes of body postures.
Cardiac muscles are the muscles of heart. Many cardiac muscle cells assemble in a branching pattern to form a cardiac muscle. Based on appearance, cardiac muscles are striated. However, they are involuntary in nature as the nervous system does not control their activities directly.
Explanation
The answer distinguishes skeletal and cardiac muscles using only the provided context. Key differences include: (1) Location - skeletal muscles are associated with skeletal components while cardiac muscles are in the heart; (2) Structure - skeletal muscles have striped appearance while cardiac muscles have branching pattern; (3) Control - skeletal muscles are voluntary whereas cardiac muscles are involuntary. Both are striated, which is a similarity, not a difference.