Galen Human Science Practice Exam 2026 - Complete Study Guide

The three types of muscle tissue are skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. Skeletal muscle is characterized by its striated appearance and is primarily responsible for voluntary movements, as it attaches to bones and facilitates locomotion. Cardiac muscle, also striated, is unique to the heart and operates involuntarily, enabling the rhythmic contractions necessary for pumping blood throughout the body. Smooth muscle, found in the walls of hollow organs such as the intestines and blood vessels, is non-striated and also functions involuntarily, controlling processes like digestion and blood flow.

Other options include incorrect classifications or mix muscle tissue with different types of tissues. For example, connective tissue is not a type of muscle but rather provides support to various body structures. Similarly, while "visceral" and "striated" are terms that can describe certain types of muscle, they do not represent distinct categories like skeletal or cardiac. Thus, the clear identification of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth as the three muscle tissue types is accurate and essential for understanding human anatomy and physiology.