A person picks up a heavy suitcase in order to estimate its weight and reflexively drops it.Which of the following receptors has initiated this reflex?
A) lamellae corpuscle
B) free nerve ending
C) tendon organ
D) bulbous corpuscle

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tendon organ, a proprioceptor located in the tendon, responds to changes in muscle tension and stimulates an inhibitory interneuron in the spinal cord that causes the muscle to relax, preventing damage to the muscle or tendon. In this case, the sudden increase in muscle tension when picking up the heavy suitcase would have stimulated the tendon organ, causing the reflexive dropping of the suitcase. The other receptors listed are not involved in this type of reflex action.

A Person Picks Up a Heavy Suitcase in Order to Estimate