Question

The space between the muscle cell and nerve terminal is called ______.

• A. Tendon junction.
• B. Cartilage junction.
• C. Neuromuscular junction.
• D. Ligament junction.

Answer 1

The correct option is C

Neuromuscular junction.

The correct option is C.

Explanation of the correct option:

1. The neuromuscular junction is a specialized synapse that connects motor neuron nerve terminals to muscle fibers and allows them to transform an electric impulse generated by the motor neuron into electrical activity in the muscle fibers.
2. When the potential for motor nerve action arises, calcium reaches the presynaptic terminal and aids in the discharge of the ACh or neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
3. After passing through the synaptic gap, ACh binds to AChRs or ACh receptors.

Explanation of the incorrect option:

Option A:

1. The musculotendinous junction connects the tendon to the muscle, while the osteotendinous junction connects it to the bone.
2. The tendon's function is to transmit muscle forces to the bone, allowing movement to occur.

Option B:

1. Cartilaginous joints are cartilage-only joints (fibrocartilage or hyaline).
2. Cartilaginous joints, while less flexible than synovial joints, allow more mobility between bones than fibrous joints.
3. The manubrium and the sternum are connected by a cartilaginous joint.

Option D:

1. The physiological bone-ligament junction is made up of ligaments, fibrocartilage, calcified fibrocartilage, and bone zones.
2. It is essential for spreading mechanical forces applied to ligaments and preventing stress concentration or shearing at the interface.

Final answer: The space between the muscle cell and nerve terminal is called the neuromuscular junction.