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The alpha motor neurons that innervate a muscle are clustered in a ___, which is arranged ___ along several spinal segments

User EntilZha
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Final answer:

The alpha motor neurons that innervate a muscle are clustered in a motor neuron pool, arranged longitudinally along spinal segments in the ventral horn of the spinal cord, which controls voluntary muscle movements.

Step-by-step explanation:

The alpha motor neurons that innervate a muscle are clustered in a motor neuron pool, which is arranged longitudinally along several spinal segments. These motor neurons are part of the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary muscular movements, and are primarily located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. This region of the spinal cord is crucial as it contains motor neurons that direct the movement of skeletal muscles.

The axons of these neurons project through the spinal nerves and connect to muscles at neuromuscular junctions. Larger muscles that require less precise control, like the quadriceps, have many muscle fibers controlled by a single motor neuron, while muscles that require fine movements, like the extraocular muscles, have fewer muscle fibers per motor neuron.

User Jdweng
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