Muscles Flashcards
What is a muscle fiber?
A single muscle cell enclosed in a cell membrane - the sarcolemma
What are the two types of skeletal muscle?
- Muscle tissue - contractile
2. Connective tissue - noncontractile
What type of the muscle fiber is the contractile structure?
Myofibrils
What are the two types of filaments and what proteins are associated with them?
- Thin - actin
2. Thick - myosin
Which protein contains tropomyosin and troponin?
Actin
Which protein has the heads?
Myosin
What happens during contraction in regards to the filaments?
The thick filament grabs onto the thin filaments
What band is associated with actin?
I band
What band is associated with thick filaments?
A band
What forms the borders of the sarcomere?
Z discs
Describe cross-bridge interaction.
- Nerve impulses arrive at the motor end plate
- Evokes an electrical impulse - action potential
- Release of calcium ions
- Calcium ions attach to troponin and cause troponin to repositions the tropomyosin molecules
- Tropomyosin molecules are repositions and actin receptor sites become exposed for the heads of myosin to bind
What are the three types of muscle contraction?
- Isometric - no movement
- Concentric - shortening (sarcomere gets smaller)
- Eccentric - lengthening (sarcomere gets larger)
What force is winning in an eccentric contraction?
External force
What force is winning in a concentric contraction?
Muscle force
What is DOMS?
Delayed onset muscle soreness - mechanical strain in the muscle fiber and associated connective tissue (injury due to eccentric exercise)
What is reverse action?
The proximal segment moves and the distal segment is stationary (ex: chin up)
What are the two parts of a motor unit?
- Alpha motor neuron
2. Muscle fiber it innervates
Describe the characteristics of a large motor unit.
- Large axon
- Many fibers (primarily Type II)
- Recruited in forceful contractions
Describe the characteristics of a small motor unit.
- Small axon
- Fewer fibers (primarily Type I)
- Recruited first in most activities
What is the size principle of motor unit recruitment?
The small motor units are recruited first and as the force increase the larger motor units are recruited
What are some factors affecting active muscle tension?
- Number of muscle fibers - more muscle fibers –> greater muscle tension produced
- Diameter of axon - greater diameter –> more fibers can be recruited
- Number of motor units firing
- Frequency of motor units firing - quicker signals –> greater muscle tension produced
- Type of muscle fiber
What are the three types of muscle fibers?
- Type I - slow oxidative
- Type II - fast oxidative glycolytic
- Type IIX - fast glycolytic
Describe the characteristics of Type I fibers.
Small diameter, red color, dense blood flow, high myoglobin content, slow speed of contraction, and slow fatigue rate
Describe the characteristics of Type II fibers.
Medium diameter, red color, dense blood flow, medium myoglobin content, fast contraction, and medium fatigue rate