Chapter 10, Problem 1CYR

Mark the following statements as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.

a. A property of all muscle cells is elasticity, which means that the tissue is able to stretch.

b. The common function of all types of muscle tissue is to generate tension.

c. The plasma membrane of a muscle cell is called the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

d. Muscle cells are contractile, conductive, distensible cells.

Summary Introduction

To review:

Whether the following statements are true or false.

a. A property of all muscle cells is elasticity, which means that the tissue is able to stretch.

b. The common function of all types of muscle tissues is to generate tension.

c. The plasma membrane of a muscle cell is called the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

d. Muscle cells are contractile, conductive, and distensible cells.

Introduction:

The structural levels of organizations of the body are the cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and the organism. The cellis made up of different organelles and is considered astructural and functional unit of life. A group of similar cells forms tissues, which perform similar functions. The four main types of tissues are epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue. Each movement inside the body, as well as locomotion from one place to other, involves several muscle cells.

Explanation of Solution

a. The statement, “A property of all muscle cells is elasticity, which means that the tissue is able to stretch”, is false. The three types of muscle tissues are skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. The cells of all muscles possess the ability to stretch to a certain extent without getting damaged, which is called distensibility, not elasticity. Elasticity is the ability to return to their original shape after being stretched. The correct statement is, “A property of all muscle cells is distensibility, which means that the tissue is able to stretch.”

b. The statement, “The common function of all types of muscle tissues is to generate tension”, is true. All the muscle cells have the property of generating muscle tension due to common properties, such as contractility, excitability, and conductivity. This force is required for muscle contraction, stabilization of joints, posture maintenance, generation of heat, and regulation of the flow of materials through hollow organs.

c. The statement, “The plasma membrane of a muscle cell is called the sarcoplasmic reticulum”, is false because the sarcoplasmic reticulum is the term used for modified smooth endoplasmic reticulum of muscle cells. The plasma membrane of the muscle cell is known as sarcolemma. It is composed of a phospholipid bilayer, and several integral and peripheral proteins are present in it. The correct statement is, “The plasma membrane of a muscle cell is called the sarcolemma.”

d. The statement, “Muscle cells are contractile, conductive, and distensible cells”, is true because all the muscle cells have the ability to contract (contractility) andrespond to different stimuli (excitability). The electrical changes in the plasma membrane are rapidly conducted along sarcolemma (conductivity) and also, the muscle cells can stretch (distensibility).

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that all the muscle cells have common properties, namely contractility, distensibility, elasticity, conductivity, and excitability, which enable them to produce tension. The statements (b) and (d) are true according to the reasons provided and the statements(a) and (c) are false.