Question

multiple choice question

which muscle tissue is rich in myoglobin, mitochondria, glycogen and uses aerobic respiration almost exclusively for its energy needs?

skeletal
smooth
cardiac

Explanation:

Analyze the physiological requirements

The question asks for a muscle tissue that is rich in myoglobin, mitochondria, and glycogen, and relies almost exclusively on aerobic respiration for its energy needs.

Evaluate the muscle tissue types

Using the Muscle Tissue Types and Cardiac Muscle Characteristics knowledge points:

• Skeletal muscle contains varying amounts of myoglobin, mitochondria, and glycogen depending on the fiber type (slow-twitch vs. fast-twitch), but it can rely heavily on anaerobic glycolysis during high-intensity exercise. Thus, it does not use aerobic respiration almost exclusively.
• Smooth muscle has relatively low amounts of myoglobin and mitochondria, and has a much lower metabolic rate overall.
• Cardiac muscle is highly dependent on aerobic respiration to prevent fatigue, as the heart must contract continuously. It is packed with large mitochondria (occupying up to 25-30% of its cell volume), rich in myoglobin (to store oxygen), and contains significant glycogen reserves to sustain its constant workload. It is highly vulnerable to oxygen deprivation because it relies almost exclusively on aerobic metabolism.

Determine the correct option

Based on these physiological characteristics, cardiac muscle is the correct choice.

Answer:

• Skeletal
• Smooth
• Cardiac (Correct answer)