Which muscle is striated and found only in the heart?

Prepare for the VTCT Level 2 Facial and Skincare Test. Revise with flashcards and multiple choice questions, accompanied by insightful explanations. Ace your assessment with confidence!

Multiple Choice

Which muscle is striated and found only in the heart?

Striated refers to the banded appearance of muscle fibers. Cardiac muscle is the tissue that makes up the heart walls; it is striated like skeletal muscle, but it functions automatically, so it is involuntary. It is found only in the heart, which is why it’s the best answer to this description. Skeletal muscle is also striated but under voluntary control and attached to bones, not confined to the heart. Smooth muscle lacks striations and lines the walls of internal organs and vessels, also under involuntary control. So the muscle that is both striated and restricted to the heart is cardiac muscle.

Striated refers to the banded appearance of muscle fibers. Cardiac muscle is the tissue that makes up the heart walls; it is striated like skeletal muscle, but it functions automatically, so it is involuntary. It is found only in the heart, which is why it’s the best answer to this description. Skeletal muscle is also striated but under voluntary control and attached to bones, not confined to the heart. Smooth muscle lacks striations and lines the walls of internal organs and vessels, also under involuntary control. So the muscle that is both striated and restricted to the heart is cardiac muscle.

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