Exemplar Problems
Question:
How do you distinguish between a skeletal muscle and a cardiac muscle?
Answer:
| Characteristic | Skeletal Muscle | Cardiac Muscle |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Striated, long, cylindrical fibers | Striated, branched, interconnected fibers |
| Nuclei | Multinucleated, peripheral location | Typically one (sometimes two), centrally located |
| Control | Voluntary, somatic nervous system | Involuntary, autonomic nervous system, intrinsic pacemaker cells |
| Contraction Speed | Rapid and forceful | Steady, rhythmic |
| Fatigue Resistance | Tires relatively quickly | Highly resistant to fatigue |
| Location and Function | Attached to bones, body movement and posture | Found in the heart, pumping blood |
| Cellular Connections | Individual, discrete cells | Interconnected cells with intercalated discs |
| Regeneration Capacity | Limited regeneration | Very limited to no regeneration |
BETA
