Question

The long fibers of a skeletal muscle are:

A. Many cells organized end-to-end.
B. One large cell with a single nucleus.
C. One large cell with many nuclei.
D. A network of interconnected cells.

Answer 1

The long fibers of a skeletal muscle are one large cell with many nuclei, resulting from the fusion of embryonic myoblasts during development. These large, multinucleated fibers enable the production of the necessary proteins for muscle function and produce the striated appearance of skeletal muscles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The long fibers of a skeletal muscle are one large cell with many nuclei. During the development of skeletal muscles, myoblasts, which are embryonic muscle cells each with a nucleus, fuse together to form large, multinucleated muscle fibers.

Skeletal muscles contain muscle fibers which are long and cylindrical, and these fibers can be quite extensive, with diameters up to 100 µm and lengths up to 30 cm. The fibers that make up skeletal muscles are bundled together, wrapped in connective tissue, and have a rich blood supply to facilitate their function.