Which type of muscle is considered to be myogenic rather than neurogenic?

Cardiac muscle is classified as myogenic because its contractions originate from the muscle itself rather than being initiated by external nerve impulses. This intrinsic capability for rhythmic contraction is due to specialized pacemaker cells located in the sinoatrial (SA) node, which generate action potentials spontaneously. This basal rhythm allows the heart to beat continuously and autonomously, regulating its own contraction without direct stimulation from the nervous system, although it can be modulated by autonomic nerves.

In contrast, skeletal muscle is classified as neurogenic, relying on motor neurons for stimulation to contract. Smooth muscle is somewhat intermediate, as it can be both myogenic and neurogenic depending on the context and specific type of smooth muscle being referred to. However, the defining characteristic of myogenicity rests with cardiac muscle, which uniquely possesses this self-initiation property.