11/24/2014 Medical Physiology Excitation-Contraction Coupling Eric Olson Flashcards
A motor action potential travels along a ___ to the ___ at the neuromuscular junction
motoneuron; motor endplate
The nerve endings secrete ___ which acts on a local area of the sarcolemma to open numerous acetylcholine-gated ion channels
acetylcholine
The muscle action potential propagates down ___ membranes into the interior of the muscle fiber to the ___, where it causes release of calcium ions that have been sequestered in the ___
the T-tubule (transverse tubule)
triad junction
longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum
The calcium ions are pumped back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum by the ___ located in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, thus reducing the concentration of calcium in the sarcoplasm, and allowing the muscle fiber to relax
Ca-ATPase ion pump
Lengthening of the muscle is achieved by contraction of an ___
antagonistic muscle
What is an important difference between the events at the neuromuscular junction and the events during excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle?
neuromuscular junction –> neuronal action potential
excitation-contraction coupling –> motor action potential
Acetylcholine binds the ___ receptors embedded in the ___ plasma membrane (at the motor endplate)
acetylcholine; muscle
The Acetylcholine receptors open, allowing ___ to rush into the muscle cell and depolarize the motor endplate, producing a change in the ___
sodium (Na+); endplate potential
Some ___ can also come out of the cells through the open acetylcholine receptor
potassium (K+)
The depolarized endplate potential causes nearby voltage-gated ___ in the ___ plasma membrane to open leading to the initiation of a ___ action potential that propagates down the length of the muscle fiber
sodium channels; muscle; muscle
___ quickly inactivates the released ___
acetylcholinesterase; acetylcholine
What is myasthenia gravis?
Disorder of excitation-contraction coupling caused by an autoimmune response to acetylcholine receptors
What exactly happens in MG at the cellular level?
Antibodies block or reduce the number of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction, resulting in muscle fatigability
Describe the diagnostic test for MG
Edrophonium test:
- edrophonium chloride (cholinesterase inhibitor) increases acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction
- administered intravenously, it will temporarily relieve symptoms of muscle weakness, including diplopia (double vision), in myasthenia gravis
What are some other disorders of EC coupling?
Motor neuron –> ALS
Nerve –> Demyelinating disease e.g. Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Muscle –> muscular dystrophy
Sarcomere –> malignant hyperthermia
Calcium movements during contraction and relaxation in skeletal muscle (1):
The muscle action potential (AP) ___ the sarcolemma (the muscle fibers plasma membrane), including the ___.
depolarizes; transverse t-tubules;
Calcium movements during contraction and relaxation in skeletal muscle (2):
The skeletal muscle action potential is ___ dependent and ___.
sodium (Na+); brief (~2 msec)
Calcium movements during contraction and relaxation in skeletal muscle (3):
Depolarization of the T-tubules opens ___ channels (ryanodine receptors) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), releasing Ca++ i into the ___ and raising sarcoplasmic (cytosolic ) calcium [Ca++] from 10-7 M to 10-5 M.
calcium; sarcoplasm
What does it mean that the sodium dependent action potential triggered by Acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction triggers the release of calcium from an internal store (the SR) inside the muscle cell (muscle fiber)?
That skeletal muscle can contract in the absence of extracellular calcium
Calcium allows ___ to interact with ___, thus resulting in the development of tension
actin; myosin cross-bridges
What happens after a brief time interval, and if there are no other action potentials?
Calcium is actively transported back into the SR by a calcium ATPase ion pump, resulting in relaxation
Some calcium is bound to ___ in the SR
calsequestrin
The cycling of calcium is ___ in skeletal muscle
intracellular
Describe the T-tubule
invagination of the muscle cells plasma membrane (the sarcolemma)
Do Na+-dependent action potentials traveling on the surface of the muscle also travel down into the T-tubule?
Yes
Describe terminal cisternae
Physically attached to the T-tubule through the direct coupling of L-type calcium channels embedded in the T-tubule membrane to the Ryanodine receptors embedded in the membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum
Depolarization of the ___ membrane induces a change in the structure of the DHP receptor (an ___ channel) , which in turn opens a calcium channel gate in the ___ receptor in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane causing calcium release into the sarcoplasm (cytosoplasm) and triggering ___
t-tubule; L-type calcium; ryanodine; sarcomere contraction
What is ryanodine?
Plant alkaloid that binds to and opens SR calcium release channels (ryanodine receptors) at nanomolar concentration