Difference between Red and White muscle

Muscles, the organs of the muscular system are the specialized cells which are responsible for the movement and locomotion. Human body contains more than 600 muscles and constitutes 43% of the body weight. Muscles are characterized by properties such as excitability, contractility, extensibility and elasticity. In humans , the muscles are broadly classified into skeletal muscles, smooth muscles and cardiac muscles.

Based on the color  the skeletal muscles are classified into two types. They are red muscle(red meat or slow muscle) and white muscle (white meat or fast muscle).

Red muscles
(Example: extensor muscle on back of human body)
1. Red muscles are thin muscle fibres

2. Red in colour due to the presence of large amount of myoglobin

3. Slow and sustained contraction

4. Depend on aerobic metabolism for energy (oxidative phosphorylation)

5. Mitochondria is abundant

6. No accumulation of lactic acid

7. Perform sustained work for a prolonged period without fatigue (slow but steady)


White muscles
(Example: Muscles of the eye ball)

1. White muscles are thick muscle fibres

2. White in colour due to less amount of myoglobin

3. Fast contraction

4. Depend on anaerobic metabolism for energy (glycolysis)

5. Mitochondria is less

6. lactic acid accumulation by glycolysis

7. Perform fast and strenuous work for a short period (fast but soon fatigue)