14. Pick one characteristic of cardiac muscles and discuss its similarity or difference to skeletal muscle.
The cardiac muscle has multiple characteristics. Today the focus will be on the importance of how the heart is multilayered, and what each layer does specifically. The cardiac muscle consists of the epicardium, which is the outermost layer. Then there is the myocardium, which is the middle layer of the of the heart. Also, this part of the heart is actually the muscle. Lastly, the inner most layer is the endocardium. Each layer holds a specific function that allows the cardiac muscle to do its job. “The heart’s muscle is stimulated by the electrical system of the heart. Specialized pacemaker cells create an electrical signal that causes contraction, or shortening, of the muscle fibers. This muscle contraction is what causes the heart to squeeze and pump out blood.” Live Well (2022) The cardiac muscle and the skeletal muscle are similar in that they both contract. ” In that it possesses contractile units known as sarcomeres.” Britannica (2023) Both muscles are also striated. What makes the two types of muscles different would be that the cardiac muscle moves involuntarily. This means that it moves without the need of thought or intention. The skeletal muscles is a voluntary muscle which would need thought or intention to move it. The cardiac muscles contractions last much longer than the skeletal muscles. The muscles in the heart are typically shorter, while the muscles in the skeleton are longer. The cardiac muscles are meant to help pump blood throughout the body. While the skeletal muscles help with movement of the entire body. Both muscles are important, in their own right. They each have a role to play within the body.
References
Britannica. (2019). Cardiac muscle | anatomy. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/cardiac-muscle
Lee, A. R. (2022, June 6). Everything to Know About Cardiac Muscle Tissue. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/cardiac-muscle-tissue-5235255
What are the Differences Between Cardiac and Skeletal Muscles. (2011, July 27). Bodytomy. https://bodytomy.com/what-are-differences-between-cardiac-skeletal-muscles