Please provide your explanation of why muscle cells have multiple nuclei in your own words.
Health · High School · Thu Jan 21 2021
Answered on
Muscle cells, specifically skeletal muscle fibers, have multiple nuclei due to the way they form. These muscle fibers are formed by the fusion of many smaller cells called myoblasts during the development process. When these myoblasts join together, they each contribute their own nucleus to the larger muscle fiber. Since muscle fibers don't divide after they are formed, the number of nuclei remains high. This is important because muscle cells are large and require a lot of resources to function properly. Multiple nuclei allow for greater production of proteins and enzymes necessary for muscle contraction and growth because they can produce more RNA to support the synthesis of these vital substances across the extensive volume of the muscle cell.