When assessing the functions of various cell types, which statement is deceptively worded to suggest an incorrect function?
A Muscle cells are specialized for contraction and force generation.
B Neurons are specialized for the transmission of electrical signals.
C Red blood cells are primarily involved in the synthesis and storage of oxygen.
D Photoreceptor cells in the eye are specialized for light detection.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C. Red blood cells are primarily involved in the synthesis and storage of oxygen.
Red blood cells (RBCs), also known as erythrocytes, are not primarily involved in the synthesis of oxygen. Instead, their primary function is to transport oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body and to carry carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs for exhalation.
Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which binds to oxygen and allows for efficient oxygen transport. However, while hemoglobin does store oxygen temporarily in the RBCs, the synthesis of oxygen itself takes place in the process of photosynthesis, which occurs in plants, not in animal cells. RBCs do not produce oxygen—they simply transport it. Therefore, describing RBCs as involved in the “synthesis” of oxygen is inaccurate.
The other statements are correct. Muscle cells are indeed specialized for contraction and force generation. The actin and myosin proteins within muscle cells allow for contraction, which is essential for movement. Neurons are specialized for the transmission of electrical signals. This is their primary function, as they transmit nerve impulses through electrical and chemical signals across synapses. Photoreceptor cells in the eye are specialized for light detection. These cells, specifically rods and cones, detect light and convert it into electrical signals that the brain interprets as vision.
To summarize, red blood cells’ main role is oxygen transport, not the synthesis of oxygen, making the statement about RBCs the most misleading or incorrectly worded in the context of cell functions.