Question

Skeletal muscle is often replaced with a dense irregular connective tissue when the muscle is damaged, leading to what is commonly known as scar tissue. What effect would you expect to see on the function of skeletal muscle tissue that has been replaced by scar tissue?

Answer 1

Scar tissue replacement in skeletal muscle results in impaired contraction and movement, decreased strength, limited flexibility, and may affect coordination of movements. Exercise and physical therapy are important for maintaining muscle function, while electrical stimulation can be beneficial when movement is not possible.

Step-by-step explanation:

When skeletal muscle tissue is damaged and replaced by scar tissue, the replaced region loses its ability to contract because scar tissue is composed of dense irregular connective tissue, which does not possess contractile properties. The primary function of skeletal muscles is to facilitate movement by contracting and generating force. Since scar tissue cannot contract, the muscle's ability to produce movement is impaired, resulting in decreased muscle strength and flexibility. Furthermore, scar tissue can impede the normal gliding of muscles during movement, leading to a restricted range of motion. Additionally, skeletal muscles act in coordination to perform complex movements, and scarring can disrupt this coordination, further impairing function.

Everyday activities, physical therapy, and even athletic performance can be affected by the accumulation of scar tissue within muscles. To mitigate the effects of muscle replacement by connective tissue, and prevent complete loss of muscle tissue, it is important to maintain muscle function through exercise. In cases where movement is not possible, electrical stimulation may be used as a therapeutic intervention to stimulate muscle contractions and prevent atrophy.

Answer 2

The right answer is The function of the muscles will be diminished (or altered).

Cicatrization is an integral part of the healing process (whether it is muscle or other tissue). Apart from very minor lesions, each injury (after an accident, an illness, or a surgical procedure) causes a scar more or less important. The scar tissue is not identical to the tissue it replaces and is usually of lower functional quality.