Striated Muscle vs. Non Striated Muscle

Main Difference

Muscles are one of an important component of our body. Its is defined as a bundle or band of fibrous tissue in animals that has the capability of producing movement by contraction and relaxation. Their major function is to give strength to the body and support it; they also produce movements. There are three major categories of muscles; Skeletal muscles Cardiac muscles, and Smooth muscles. These muscles are made up of muscular fibers. Muscle fibers are of two kinds: striated muscle fibers and non-striated muscle fibers. Muscles that contain striated muscle fibers are called striated muscle and muscles that contain non-striated muscle fibers are called non-striated muscles. The difference between striated and non-striated muscles is that in striated muscles, the contractile fibrils are aligned parallel, and their regions form stripes that are easily visible under a microscope, whereas non-striated muscles do not have stripes on them, they give a poor appearance under the microscope.

Difference Between Striated Muscle and Non Striated Muscle

Comparison Chart

What is Striated Muscle?

Striated muscles are those muscles that have stripes in them; they are arranged parallel to each other in a definite manner. All the striated muscles are skeletal muscles and cardiac muscles. In striated muscles, there are sarcomeres. Sarcomeres are the basic unit or contractile element of the muscle. Sarcomere has a light and dark band; the light band is also called I band and the dark band is also called A band. In these bands actin and myosin filaments are present, this forms a complete unit of the sarcomere. Striated muscles are attached to bone via tendons; these muscles are involved in the voluntary movement because they are under the control of our will, due to this striated muscles are also called voluntary muscles. Striated muscles are long and cylindrical in shape; these fibers are multinucleated (multiple nuclei). It also has a prominent appearance and has sarcoplasmic reticulum in it. It also contains many mitochondria and stores large amount of glycogen in it. One of the common examples of striated muscle is Bicep.

What is Non-striated Muscle?

NonStriated muscles are those muscles that do not have stripes in them; they are arranged non-parallel to each other in an indefinite manner. All the non-striated muscles are smooth muscles. In non-striated muscles, proper sarcomere is not present due to which it gives an irregular shape under a microscope. It has its contractile element, but it is poorly developed. In non-striated muscles, A band and I band are not seen clearly seen in it. In other words, a contractile element of striated muscles are poorly developed. Striated muscles are present inside the body in internal organs; these muscles are involved in the involuntary movement because they are not under the control of our will, due to this non-striated muscles are called involuntary muscles. NonStriated muscles are long but noncylindrical in shape; these fibers are uninucleated (single nucleus). It has a non-prominent appearance and has poorly developed sarcoplasmic reticulum in it. It contains less number of mitochondria as compared to striated muscles and stores small amount of glycogen in it. Non-striated muscles are mostly seen in internal viscera (internal organs). The best example of non-striated muscle is intestinal muscles.