The force generated by a single muscle fiber can be increased by
A) increasing frequency of action potentials only.
B) increasing muscle length beyond optimal only.
C) increasing the asynchrony of recruitment only.
D) increasing frequency of action potentials and increasing muscle length beyond optimal only.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force generated by a single muscle fiber can be increased by increasing the frequency of action potentials only. This is known as temporal summation, where the muscle fiber is stimulated repeatedly and the force of contraction increases. Increasing the muscle length beyond optimal (option B) would actually decrease the force generated as it would result in a reduced overlap between the actin and myosin filaments. Increasing the asynchrony of recruitment (option C) would also not increase the force generated by a single muscle fiber. Option D is partially correct in that increasing the frequency of action potentials would increase the force generated, but increasing muscle length beyond optimal would not. Therefore, the best choice is A.

The Force Generated by a Single Muscle Fiber Can Be