Which muscle type is involuntary and non-striated?

• A. Smooth muscle
• B. Skeletal muscle
• C. Cardiac muscle
• D. Nervous tissue

Answer: (A)

Smooth muscle is involuntary and non-striated. Its fibers are spindle-shaped and lack the visible banding seen in skeletal and cardiac muscle, which is why it appears non-striated under a microscope. It contracts under autonomic nervous system control, not conscious effort, allowing slow, sustained contractions that move contents through hollow organs and help regulate blood vessel diameter. You’ll find it in the walls of the stomach, intestines, bladder, and blood vessels. By contrast, skeletal muscle is voluntary and striated, cardiac muscle is involuntary but striated, and nervous tissue is not muscle tissue.