Which muscle tissue is found in the walls of the blood vessels and hollow organs?

Which muscle tissue is found in the walls of the blood vessels and hollow organs?

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

Answer: (A)

Smooth muscle is the type found in the walls of blood vessels and hollow organs. It is involuntary and non‑striated, made of spindle-shaped cells arranged in sheets. This arrangement lets it contract slowly and sustain contractions, which is essential for regulating the diameter of vessels (vasoconstriction and vasodilation) and pushing contents through organs like the stomach, intestines, and bladder. Cardiac muscle, by contrast, is in the heart and is striated and involuntary, with intercalated discs that coordinate heartbeat. Skeletal muscle attaches to bones, is striated and voluntary. Nervous tissue isn’t muscle at all.

Smooth muscle is the type found in the walls of blood vessels and hollow organs. It is involuntary and non‑striated, made of spindle-shaped cells arranged in sheets. This arrangement lets it contract slowly and sustain contractions, which is essential for regulating the diameter of vessels (vasoconstriction and vasodilation) and pushing contents through organs like the stomach, intestines, and bladder.

Cardiac muscle, by contrast, is in the heart and is striated and involuntary, with intercalated discs that coordinate heartbeat. Skeletal muscle attaches to bones, is striated and voluntary. Nervous tissue isn’t muscle at all.