Understanding Striated Muscle: Structure, Functions, and Differences from Smooth Muscle

Striated muscle, also known as skeletal muscle, is a type of muscle tissue that is attached to bones and helps move the body's skeleton. It is called "striated" because it has a striped appearance under a microscope, due to the arrangement of its fibers.

Striated muscle is made up of actin and myosin filaments that slide past each other to produce movement. It is responsible for voluntary movements such as walking, running, and lifting, as well as involuntary movements such as heartbeat and digestion.

In contrast, smooth muscle, which is found in the walls of hollow organs such as the blood vessels and digestive tract, is not attached to bones and does not have a striped appearance under a microscope. It is responsible for involuntary movements such as the contraction and relaxation of blood vessels to regulate blood pressure, and the movement of food through the digestive system.