Similarities:
- All three types of muscles are composed of muscle fibers and are capable of contraction.
- All three types of muscles contain actin and myosin proteins, which allow them to contract.
Differences:
- Cardiac muscle cells are joined together by intercalated discs, which are absent in skeletal and smooth muscles.
- Cardiac muscle cells are capable of self-excitation, which skeletal and smooth muscles are not.
- Cardiac muscle cells are branched, while skeletal and smooth muscle cells are not.
- Cardiac muscle cells contain many mitochondria, while skeletal and smooth muscle cells contain few mitochondria.
- Cardiac muscle cells are striated, while skeletal and smooth muscle cells are not.