The human body is composed of 640 to 850 muscles each having a different function in helping the muscular system operate. The main function of the muscular system is movement. Muscles help provide strength, endurance, and help to keep the body warm. Muscles help keep the body warm by continuously pumping blood out of the heart and by body movement. There are three main categories of muscles in the human body: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth (non-striated) muscles.
One type of muscle, known as skeletal, controls mobility. It is the only type that is voluntary and is also striated. Everyday living activities are performed using the majority of the skeletal muscles in the body, such as: running, walking, talking, and breathing. This muscle is categorized as skeletal due to the fact the muscles are attached to the human skeleton. (Taylor) There is about 639 skeletal muscles in the human body. Skeletal muscles are categorized in motor units, and they each involve a motor neuron.
Another type of muscle is cardiac, known as the heart muscle. This type of muscle is …show more content…
Smooth muscle cells can be found in organs of the stomach or intestines and different blood cells. Smooth muscle cells are involuntary non-striated muscles controlled by the autonomic nervous system. This muscle is considered to be smooth because it does not have the striations like cardiac and skeletal muscles. The smooth muscles are typically found within walls of blood vessels. Smooth muscles can be found in the urinary tract and in lymphatic vessels. The structure, function, and the contractions of the smooth muscles are very different from cardiac and skeletal muscles (e.g., structure non-striated, function moves fluids throughout body, contractions of the muscle constrict.) Smooth muscles are single unit varieties because the whole muscle either contracts or