What Are the Different Muscle Tissue Types?
Muscle tissue can be broken down into three types: skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle. The muscle tissue types are differentiated by their functions and the shapes of their individual cells, with each associated with a different type of motion. Skeletal muscle is associated with voluntary motion linked to the movements of the skeletal system. Smooth muscle is associated with involuntary motion governed by bodily functions or reflexes, while cardiac muscle is associated with pulmonary motion. Examples of skeletal muscles include the biceps, quadriceps, and triceps — the type of muscle most commonly associated with the idea of physical musculature. These muscles are all connected in some way to the body’s bone structure. They are comprised of long and short cylindrical fibers, which are in turn made of striated cells with nuclei at the edges of the cells. These muscles are under conscious control, or voluntary motion.