What are similarities between cardiac and skeletal

muscle?
1. Striated
2. Contractile proteins/thick and thin filaments
arranged in sarcomeres
3. Sliding filament mechanism
4. Components: myofibrils, T tubule network,
sarcoplasmic reticulum
5. Force generation and control by calcium ions
*Most similar to slow oxidative fibers
-oxidative phosphorylation to generated ATP
-resistant to fatigue
-highly dependent on O2 supply
What are some of the basic differences between cardiac
and skeletal muscle?
1. cardiac fibers much shorter, sometimes branched
2. less dependent on Ca release from the SR, and Ca
release mechanism from SR is different
3. Individual cardiac fibers joined by intercalated discs
with two types of membrane junctions:
a. desmosomes-mechanical adhering junctions
b. gap junctions-low resistance electrical connections
between neighboring cells (electric coupling allows heart
to contract as a unit)

Cardiac and skeletal muscles are two major types that can be found in the body. Skeletal muscle is usually
linked to bones by structures called tendons, while the cardiac variety is generally found only in the heart.
While there are some similarities in structure, the two types of muscle typically differ in the arrangement of
cells. Skeletal muscle cells are usually arranged into cylindrical fibers with multiple nuclei, and can be
directly controlled by voluntary nerve signals from the somatic nervous system. Typically spindle-shaped,
heart muscle cells are normally shorter in comparison and are linked via gap junctions, which allow
compounds to pass directly from one to another.
The muscles in the heart can contract in response to signals from the organs own neural conduction
system. Discharges can increase or decrease, and there are typically just brief periods of rests between
beats. Cellular structures called mitochondria are larger and more numerous in heart cells that in muscle
fibers. Heart cells can synthesize much more adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy. They can also
convert lactic acid made by skeletal muscles into ATP, which is produced when they are deoxygenated; if
cardiac muscle were to go into this state, it could be damaged.
Both cardiac and skeletal muscles have t-tubules, which help to conduct electrical action potentials. These
typically serve to trigger calcium flow so that a muscle can contract. While there are generally more ttubules in skeletal fibers, the ones making up cardiac muscles are wider than the skeletal types. Cardiac
and skeletal muscles also differ in that fibers in the heart are linked via intercalated disks, which can also
help synchronize contractions. In skeletal muscle fibers, the t-tubules and structures called Z-disks are
generally the predominant connection points.
A common trait to both cardiac and skeletal muscles is that they have a striated structure. This structure
typically has thick, thin, and elastic filaments that make up the working part of the muscle called
sarcomeres. The bands are usually slightly different in color from one another and often vary in density; the
thick and thin filaments can interact because they are normally connected by cross bridges. Interactions
between these and ATP generally enable muscles to contract.
Although the striated structure is common to cardiac and skeletal muscles, heart cells can be branched.
The two types of muscle are usually characterized by how they look under a microscope. Characteristics of

cells, like with many other tissues in the body, are typically analyzed by scientists, researchers, and
physicians to identify each type and tell apart normal from diseased samples.

cardiac vs skeletal muscle

Cardiac and skeletal muscles are both striated muscles. Apart from this
similarity, one can come across many differences between the two types
of muscles.
One of the main differences that can be seen is that cardiac muscles are
involuntarily controlled, whereas the somatic nervous system controls
the movement of the skeletal muscles.
Cardiac muscles and skeletal muscles are also different in their shape.
While the cardiac muscles are semi-spindle, the skeletal muscles are
cylindrical in shape. Another difference is that the cardiac muscles are
short in comparison to skeletal muscles.
The skeletal muscles are attached to the bone through tendons. The
skeletal muscles also contain myoblasts, which form the fibers in the
muscles. The cardiac muscles are seen in the myocardium of the heart.
The cardiac muscles contain intercalated discs and T-tubules, which
connects the myocyte to the synctium.
The skeletal muscles are tightly bound together when compared to
cardiac muscles. Unlike skeletal muscles, gap junctions are found in
cardiac muscles. There is only a common contraction known as synctium
in

skeletal

muscles

and

no

gap

junctions.

When the skeletal muscles are multi-nucleated, the cardiac muscles have
one or two nuclei. In the case of endomysium and mitochondria, it is
dense in cardiac muscles when compared to skeletal muscles. Moreover,
the mitochondria in cardiac muscles have more blood vessels. In cardiac
muscles, about 25 per cent of the space is occupied by mitochondria,
whereas it is just two per cent in skeletal muscles. When looking at the Ttubules, the skeletal muscles contain more of it than the cardiac muscles.
Moreover, the T-tubules in cardiac muscles are also wider.

Summary
1. Cardiac muscles are involuntarily controlled, whereas the somatic
nervous system controls the movement of the skeletal muscles.
2. While the cardiac muscles are semi-spindle, the skeletal muscles are
cylindrical

in

shape.

3. The skeletal muscles are tightly bound together when compared to

cardiac

muscles.

4. Cardiac muscles are short in comparison to skeletal muscles.

5. When the skeletal muscles are multi-nucleated, the cardiac muscles
have one or two nuclei. In the case of endomysium and mitochondria, it
is dense in cardiac muscles when compared to skeletal muscles.
6. When looking at the T-tubules, the skeletal muscles contain more of it
than the cardiac muscles. Moreover, the T-tubules in cardiac muscles are
wider

also.

7. Unlike skeletal muscles, gap junctions are found in cardiac muscles.

There is only a common contraction known as synctium in skeletal
muscles.

Read more: Difference Between Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle | Difference

Between | Cardiac vs Skeletal
Muscle http://www.differencebetween.net/science/health/differencebetween-cardiac-and-skeletal-muscle/#ixzz2kmPwX37J

It's better to have some intro about what is skeletal muscle? What is
cardiac muscle? Skeletal muscle have tendon. It has 3 layer of sheaths
which are? It is a voluntary muscle. Cardiac muscles are myogenic. Self
induced/involuntary. Regulated by sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous
system. Anything else that can use to introduce it. Only then you
compare them.