Which of the following characteristics distinguishes cardiac muscle from skeletal muscle?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To determine what distinguishes cardiac muscle from skeletal muscle, we evaluate each statement in turn and explain why it is or isn’t accurate.
Option 1: 'Cardiac muscle cells are multinucleated.' In reality, cardiac muscle cells are typically mononucleated (each cell has a single nucleus), whereas skeletal muscle fibers are often multinucleated due to their syncytial organization. This makes the statement incorrect.
Option 2: 'Cardiac muscle contraction is voluntary.' Cardiac muscle contractions are involuntary and regulated by the autonomic nervous system and intrinsic pacemaker cells. Skeletal muscle contractions, by contrast, are voluntary. Therefore, this option is false.
Option 3: 'Cardiac muscle cells are branched and connected by intercalated discs.' This description matches a key distinguishing feature: cardiac muscle cells are indeed branched and interconnect at intercalated discs, which contain gap junctions and desmosomes to enable synchronized contraction. This option correctly captures a structural hallmark of cardiac muscle.
Option 4: 'Cardiac muscle fibers lack striations.' Cardiac muscle fibers are striated, just like skeletal muscle, due to the organization of sarcomeres. The claim that they lack striations is incorrect.
Overall, the only statement that accurately identifies a distinguishing structural characteristic of cardiac muscle is the one describing branched cells and intercalated discs.

PHYSIO 3200 AU2025 (33564) Quiz # 5 Dr. Heissler's content

Which of the following characteristics distinguishes cardiac muscle from skeletal muscle?

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