Which of the following muscle types are involuntary in action?

Correct answer: C. Cardiac and smooth

  • A. Skeletal and smooth
  • B. Skeletal and cardiac
  • C. Cardiac and smooth
  • D. Smooth muscle only

Explanation

Cardiac muscle beats rhythmically without conscious control and smooth muscle works the gut, blood vessels and other hollow organs automatically, so both are involuntary. Skeletal muscle is the only voluntary type, which eliminates the first two options at once. Smooth muscle alone is too narrow, since it leaves cardiac muscle out.

This question appeared on the UHS MDCAT 2025 paper, which you can sit online with every answer explained.

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About Muscles

Muscles covers skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle, their microscopic structure and the roles of tendons, myofibrils, actin and myosin. It explains the sliding filament mechanism, sarcomere shortening, neuromuscular transmission and calcium regulation, while distinguishing voluntary skeletal movement from involuntary contraction in smooth and cardiac muscle.

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