Why are MITOCHONDRIA particularly abundant in MUSCLE cells?
AMitochondria make muscle cells brown
BMuscle cells have high energy demands (contraction requires ATP); mitochondria produce ATP, so cells with high energy needs contain many of them
CMuscle cells are larger so they need more of every organelle
DMitochondria are decorative
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Muscle cells have high energy demands (contraction requires ATP); mitochondria produce ATP, so cells with high energy needs contain many of them
Muscle contraction requires continuous ATP. Mitochondria produce ATP via aerobic respiration. So cells with high energy needs (muscle, nerve, kidney, liver) pack large numbers of mitochondria. Sedentary cells with low energy demand have few. This is why endurance training increases mitochondrial density in muscle — preparing them for sustained energy use.
Related questions
The major difference between PROKARYOTIC and EUKARYOTIC cells is that prokaryotic cells:CHLOROPLASTS are organelles that:Lysosomes within a cell are best described as:The Golgi apparatus in a cell functions as the:The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) has TWO main forms. The ROUGH ER differs from the SMOOTH ERCellular respiration (energy production) primarily occurs in the:The NUCLEUS of a cell is best described as the cell's:The CELL WALL, made of cellulose, is found in: