Difference Between Red and White Muscles
Compared to white muscle, red muscle often contains more lipid, less glycogen, less soluble protein, and a larger concentration of the pigment myoglobin. Check this article to know more about the difference between Red and White Muscles
Jasdeep Bhatia16 Mar, 2024
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Difference Between Red and White Muscles : In this article, you will understand and learn about muscles, mainly about Red and White muscles.
Introduction
Muscles
Muscles are tissues that are soft and made up of stretchy fibers. In the human body, more than six hundred muscles have different functions like movement, posture, control, and balance, including running, jumping, eating, etc.Related Links -
There are three types of muscle tissue as discussed below:Cardiac Muscles
These muscles are present in the wall of the heart that is striated, and control is involuntary.Smooth Muscles (Non-Striated Muscles)
These muscles are present in walls of hollow visceral organs like the liver, intestine, and pancreas, except the heart. They are spindle in shape, and control is involuntary. For example, the transportation of food via the digestive tract.Skeletal Muscles (Straited Muscles)
They are attached to the skeleton and striated, and control is voluntary of the nervous system in skeletal muscles. Changes in body posture and locomotive actions are involved. Skeletal muscles include red and white muscles for performing different functions in the human body. Let's discuss the difference between red muscles and white muscles.Related Links -
Difference Between Red and White Muscles
| Red Muscles | White Muscles |
| Red muscles are types of skeletal muscles with dense capillaries and rich in mitochondria and myoglobin. | White muscles are types of skeletal muscles that have a poor amount of myoglobin and mitochondria. |
| Mitochondria are present in large amounts. | Mitochondria present in less amount. |
| Red muscles have reduced quantities of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum. | White blood muscles have more quantities of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum. |
| They have a lower rate of contractions and low power. | They have a fast rate of contractions and more power. |
| They can conduct prolonged work. | They can conduct short-time work. |
| Red muscles show less fatigue as compared to white muscles. | They show fast fatigue as compared to red muscles. |
| They can contract for a longer time period that can perform aerobic oxidation without accumulating lactic acid. | They get fatigued after a short burst of contraction that performs anaerobic oxidation and accumulates lactic acid faster. |
| Red muscles are thinner because dark fibers are present in them, and they appear in red is seen dominantly. | They are thicker than red muscles because white and light fibers are present, and white color appearance is seen dominantly. |
| The capillary bed is denser. | White muscles are less denser. |
| Red muscles are known as type I or slow twitch muscles Because they exhibit slow twitching and a low rate of fatigue. | White muscles are known as type II or fast twitch muscles because they exhibit fast twitching and a high rate of fatigue. |
| For eg, the Extensor Muscle, postural muscles | For eg, The muscle of the eyeball, and extraocular muscles. |
Difference Between Red and White Muscles <span style=
Why do red muscles have a red color?
The presence of thick capillaries that are abundant in myoglobin and mitochondria reasons why red muscles are red. Due to the presence of myoglobin in the sarcoplasm (cytoplasm) of red muscle fibers, one of the primary differences between red and white muscle fibers is their color, which is deep red.
Why do red muscles contain so many mitochondria?
They have a red pigment called myoglobin in high amounts in the human body.
These muscles are more densely packed with mitochondria and smaller in diameter.
The mitochondria utilise the oxygen stored in the myoglobin to produce ATP.
There are a lot of blood capillaries in red muscles.
What function serves white muscles?
They are employed in aerobic exercises, and as a result, they need a lot of oxygen to produce energy.
Less myoglobin, capillaries, and mitochondria can be found in white muscles.
They possess fast-twitch fibers that can contract very quickly and strongly, but not for very long.
How are muscles connected to the body?
Muscles are connected at two or more places. When muscles contract, the connection points are stretched close together, and when muscles get relaxed, the points move apart.
Name the smallest muscle of the human body.
Smallest muscle present in the inner ear, named stapedius, connects to the eardrum and holds the inner ear together.
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