Which type of muscle is characterized as being involuntary and striated?

Cardiac muscle is characterized as being involuntary and striated, which means it functions without conscious control and has a striped appearance under a microscope due to the arrangement of actin and myosin filaments. This type of muscle is found exclusively in the heart, where it plays a crucial role in pumping blood throughout the body.

In contrast, skeletal muscle, although striated, is under voluntary control and attached to the skeleton, allowing for movement of the body. Visceral muscle, typically referring to smooth muscle found in hollow organs, is also involuntary but lacks striations. Lastly, the term 'voluntary muscle' generally refers to skeletal muscle, further highlighting the distinction between the different muscle types.