what is cardiac muscle?
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Answer:
Cardiac muscle is an involuntary striated muscle tissue found only in the heart and is responsible for the ability of the heart to pump blood.
Answer:
Cardiac muscle, also called myocardium, in vertebrates, one of three major muscle types, found only in the heart. Cardiac muscle is similar to skeletal muscle, another major muscle type, in that it possesses contractile units known as sarcomeres; this feature, however, also distinguishes it from smooth muscle, the third muscle type. Cardiac muscle differs from skeletal muscle in that it exhibits rhythmic contractions and is not under voluntary control. The rhythmic contraction of cardiac muscle is regulated by the sinoatrial node of the heart, which serves as the heart’s pacemaker.
mammalian heart
mammalian heart
Cross section of a four-chambered mammalian heart.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Cardiac muscle
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The heart consists mostly of cardiac muscle cells (or myocardium). The outstanding characteristics of the action of the heart are its contractility, which is the basis for its pumping action, and the rhythmicity of the contraction. The amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute (the cardiac output) varies to meet the metabolic needs of peripheral tissues, particularly the skeletal muscles, kidneys, brain, skin, liver, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. The cardiac output is determined by the contractile force developed by the cardiac muscle cells, as well as by the frequency at which they are activated (rhythmicity). The factors affecting the frequency and force of heart muscle contraction are critical in determining the normal pumping performance of the heart and its response to changes in demand