Final answer:
The taenia coli are longitudinal bands of smooth muscle in the colon wall that contribute to the colon's wrinkled appearance by creating haustra, which are pouches in the colon.
Step-by-step explanation:
The taenia coli are not ridges in the mucosa of the colon, not tumors confined to the sigmoid colon, and not tears of the colon. The correct answer is c) Longitudinal bands of smooth muscle in the colon wall. These bands make up the longitudinal muscle layer of the muscularis in the large intestine. Owing to the tonic contractions of the taenia coli, the colon is bunched up into the pouches known as haustra, contributing to the colon's distinctive wrinkled appearance. Additionally, attached to the taenia coli are epiploic appendages, fat-filled sacs of visceral peritoneum whose function is not clearly understood.