2-5. Skeletal Muscle Structure & Function Flashcards
What is the hallmark of all living organisms?
Ability to use energy
What is ATP? Where is it found? In what amounts?
- Energy currency found in all cells
- In small amounts ranging from 3-6 mmol/kg in skeletal muscle
How many skeletal muscles are there in the body?
660
What percentage of body weight does skeletal muscle make up?
45%
What is the primary function of skeletal muscle?
Force generation
What are the secondary functions of skeletal muscle?
- Heat production
- Glucose uptake and storage
- Regulation of metabolic rate
- Source of fuel (amino acids, esp in starvation)
How does skeletal muscle aid in heat production?
- Body is inefficient at converting substrates into energy
- Vast majority is lost as heat
- Muscles help maintain body temp
What happens when skeletal muscles don’t utilize glucose?
- Muscle is a primary utilizer of glucose
- When sedentary & not utilizing glucose, peeps get glucose regulatory conditions like diabetes
What is a muscle composed of? Percentages?
- 75% water
- 20% protein
- 5% other
List and describe the cellular components of muscle?
- Contractile tissue = myosin, actin
- Connective tissue = tendons, fascia
- Vascular tissue
- Neural tissue = motor innervation & sensory receptors
What are the sensory receptors of muscle?
- Muscle spindle
- Golgi tendon organs
- Mechanoreceptors
- Nociceptors
What are the cellular organelles contained in each myocyte?
- Multiple myonuclei
- Mitochondria
- Ribosomes, Golgi Apparatus, Endoplasmic Reticulum
Why are nuclei generally lie on the external/peripheral surface of a muscle cell?
To avoid “machinery” pumping in the middle of muscle cells during contraction
What are the unique features of skeletal muscle?
- Multinucleated
- Capable of regeneration
- Very adaptable
Why are muscle cells multimucleated?
Diffusional efficiency
How many nuclei per cubic mm are there in each muscle cell?
200-300
How are muscle fibers adaptable?
- Can modify their metabolic properties in response to alterations in use
- Can alter their size throughout life in response to various stressors
What muscle cells are capable of regeneration?
Satellite cells
What are the 3 types of connective tissue sheathes of a muscle cell? What does each cover?
- Epimysium covers the whole muscle
- Perimysium covers the fascicles
- Endomysium covers the individual muscle fibers
What are the 2 membranes that surround each muscle fiber? Which is semi-permeable?
- Sarcolemma = plasma membrane, semi-permeable lipid bilayer (inner)
- Basal lamina = basement membrane (outer)
What is the cross-sectional area of a muscle fiber determined by? What is the range?
- Number of myofibrils
- 2000 - 7500
What is the range of muscle fiber length?
3-4 mm to 30cm
What is a satellite cell? Location? Allows for what following injury? Why is this property is lacking in the heart?
- Undifferentiated nuclei
- Between sarcolemma & basal lamina
- Provide regenerative potential
- Lacking in heart so it doesn’t grow too large b/c of training
What percentage of all nuclei are satellite cells?
5-15%
What kind of nucleus are myonuclei? Location?
- Post-mitotic
- Beneath (inside) sarcolemma
- Periphery of muscle fiber
What are the functions of mitochondria?
- Production of ATP to drive cross-bridge formation
- Role in maintenance of muscle force during prolonged contractions
Where are mitochondria located in a muscle fiber?
- Intermyofibrillar = between myofibrils
- Subsarcolemmal = below sarcolemma
What are the key markers of mitochondria?
- Succinate dehydrogenase
- Citrate synthase
- Cytochrome C
What makes up the macrovasculature of skeletal muscle?
- Arteries
- Veins
What makes up the microvasculature of skeletal muscle?
- Arterioles
- Venules
- Capillaries
What is an aspect of blood flow that only occurs at the levels of the capillaries?
Exchange of gases, nutrients and metabolites between the blood and the tissues
What makes up a muscle microvascular unit?
- One terminal arteriole
- 2 collecting venules
- 15-20 capillaries
How many muscle fibers does one microvascular muscle unit serve?
20-30
What do the major features of sarcomeres look like under light microscopy?
- A bands = dark, wide
- I bands = lighter, wide
- Z line = dark, thin, bisects I bands
What are the major features of a sarcomere?
- Z line = anchor for thin filaments
- M line = anchor for thick filaments
- A band = all myosin (w/ overlap)
- I band = only actin
- H band = only myosin
During a contraction, how do the sizes of bands in a sarcomere change?
- Overlap increases → lose areas that are single filament type → I band (actin), H zones (myosin) decrease
- A band doesn’t change b/c length of filaments doesn’t change
What is the ratio of myosin to actin where they overlap in a sarcomere?
6 actin : 1 myosin
What are the proteins associated w/ the sarcomere?
- Contractile proteins
- Regulatory contractile proteins
- Structural & costameric proteins