Final answer:
Skeletal muscles with low innervation ratios actually have a high degree of neural control, as fewer muscle fibers per motor neuron allow for more precise movements. Large muscles like the quadriceps have higher innervation ratios for less precise but more powerful contractions. Voluntary control over skeletal muscles via motor units allows for finely tuned contractions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether skeletal muscles with low innervation ratios have a low degree of neural control. It is important to understand that the innervation ratio is the number of muscle fibers innervated by a single motor neuron. This ratio is closely linked to the level of control and precision required by a muscle. Muscles that require precise and fine movements, such as the extraocular muscles which are involved in moving the eyes, have low innervation ratios because they need to be very precise and are controlled by smaller, lower-threshold motor neurons. Therefore, these muscles actually have a high degree of neural control, contrary to the proposition that a low innervation ratio equates to a low degree of neural control. In contrast, muscles like the quadriceps have higher innervation ratios because they are responsible for powerful, gross movements where precision is less crucial.
Muscle activities are under the control of the nervous system, which orchestrates muscle fiber recruitment and muscle tone. Motor units, which are composed of a motor neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates, are fundamental in this process. Small motor units with lower-threshold motor neurons activate first, providing a small degree of contractile strength. This is followed by the recruitment of larger motor units for increased contraction as more force is required, highlighting the nuanced control the nervous system possesses over skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles are voluntary muscles and can be controlled by an individual's will, which further emphasizes the sophistication of neural control over these muscles.