What characterizes skeletal muscles?

The characteristics of skeletal muscles are defined by their striated appearance and voluntary control. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones by tendons, enabling body movements through contraction and relaxation. Their striated texture is a result of the organized arrangement of actin and myosin filaments within the muscle fibers, which creates a banded pattern visible under a microscope.

Being under voluntary control means that skeletal muscles can be consciously controlled by the nervous system, allowing for precise movements, such as walking, writing, or speaking. This is in contrast to other types of muscle tissue, such as smooth and cardiac muscles, which are under involuntary control and function automatically without conscious effort.

Therefore, the answer highlights the primary and distinguishing features of skeletal muscles, illustrating why they are classified in this way.