Why do individual muscle twitches have to be added together, as in summation or tetanus?
A) Only added twitches produce any muscle contraction: A fiber undergoing a muscle twitch does not contract at all.
B) There has to be a critical mass of muscle twitches for calcium to be released into the muscle cell.
C) Not enough acetylcholine will be produced for contraction without multiple twitches.
D) Multiple twitches add up to an increase in muscle fiber tension, which increases the strength of the muscle.
E) Not enough ATP is generated by one muscle twitch.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Multiple twitches add up to an increase in muscle fiber tension, which increases the strength of the muscle. This is known as summation or tetanus, and it allows for a sustained muscle contraction. Without summation, the muscle would only be able to produce brief, weak contractions.

Why Do Individual Muscle Twitches Have to Be Added Together