Red and white muscle fibre are named according to their appearance. Red muscle fibre has numerous myoglobin so, they appear red in colour and in the case of white muscle fibre myoglobin content is less so appears white.
Red muscle fibre has a rich supply of blood vessels but in white muscle fibre they are comparatively lesser in number.
One can develop red muscle fibre by repeated contraction of that specific muscle like in marathon athletes who develop red fibre in their thigh muscle due to repeated contraction.
| S.No. | Red muscle fibre | White muscle fibre |
| 1. | Have a large number of blood vessels are present | Comparatively less number of blood vessels are present |
| 2. | It depends on aerobic respiration for the production of ATP, which means O2 is required for respiration | It depends on anaerobic respiration, which means O2 is not required for this process |
| 3. | Lactic acid does not accumulate | Lactic acid accumulates by glycolysis Soon gets fatigued |
| 4. | Fatigue occurs slowly | Fatigue occurs rapidly |
| 5. | Contraction speed is less powerful | Contraction speed is more powerful |
| 6. | Mitochondria present in more in number | Mitochondria present in less in number |
| 7. | The sarcoplasmic reticulum is less extensive | The sarcoplasmic reticulum is more extensive |
| 8. | Involved in slow, prolonged, and continued activity as it undergoes sustained contraction | Not involved in prolonged and continued activity as it relaxes immediately |
| 9. | The response is slow but with a long latent period | Their response is fast but for a short latent period |
| 10. | Have high myoglobin (oxygen storing pigment) number so, it appears dark red in colour | Have high myoglobin number so, it appears red in colour |
| 11. | These are thin and smaller in size because of the small diameter of fibre, fewer myofibrils | These are thick and larger in size. |
| 12. | Example: Extensor muscle of upper limb (Latissimus dorsi, teres major, and triceps brachii) and lower limb (biceps femoris, gluteus maximus, and quadriceps) | Example: Muscles involved in the movement of the eyeball |
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