muscles Flashcards
events at NMJ
- AP propagates down presynaptic neuron
- depolarization opens voltage-gated Ca channels
- Ca entry triggers ACh exocytosis
- ACh diffuses across synaptic cleft & binds w/ receptors in motor end-plate
- binding opens cation channels ➞ Na enters & depolarizes end plate (EPP)
- depolarizing current flows downstream to other voltage-gated Na channels (AP) in PM
- ACh in synaptic cleft is degraded by ACh-esterase
tendons
- attaches muscle to bone & contracts
- shock absorption
myofibril anatomy
- 1 myosin filament is surrounded by 6 actin filaments
- 1 actin filament is surrounded by 3 myosin filaments
myosin = thick filaments
- thick bands of sarcomeres
- cytoskeleton protein made of a long tail & a globular head
- actin-binding site & myosin ATP-ase site on head
- 5x larger than actin
actin = thin filaments
- light band of sarcomeres
- 3 proteins arranged to form double helical strand
- actin
- tropomyosin = threads that swirl around actin helix that blocks myosin-binding sites
-
troponin
- troponin I = inhibitory ➔ binds to actin
- troponin T binds to tropomyosin
- troponin C binds to Ca
- 7:1 actin to troponin complex ratio
sarcomeres = contractile units of myofibers from Z line to Z line
- Z line = boundaries & site where actin filaments attach
- A band = actin & myosin overlap
- I band = actin only
- H band = myosin only ➞ lighter area in center of A band where actin does not reach
- M line = line in middle of H zone (& A zone) where myosin filaments join
myofibril physiology
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myosin heads form cross-bridge with actin
- heads form cross bridges with 6 surrounding myosin ATPase sites on actin
- 6:1 actin to myosin
- myosin ATPase provides ATP for cross-bridges via ATP hydrolysis (Mg-dependent)
- troponin C binds Ca
- troponin I binds to actin in a way the holds tropomyosin in place, blocking the myosin-binding site
- troponin C binds to Ca, which changes the configuration of troponin I, which changes the configuration of troponin T, which changes the configuration of tropomyosin to so it no longer blocks the myosin binding site & cross-bridges can attach
-
sarcomeres shorten during cross-bridge activity
- Z-lines come closer together
- H bands shorten
- I bands shorten
- A bands maintain same width
- indiv actin & myosin filaments maintain constant length ➞ only relative position changes
general cross-bridge activity
- binding: energized myosin heads bind to myosin-binding site on actin
- power stroke: myosin heads bend, pulling actin filament & releasing ADP + Pi
- detachment: ATP attaches to myosin & myosin detaches ➔ actin & myosin return to original position
- binding: cross-bridge binds to more distal actin mol & cycle repeats
role of Ca in initiating cross bridge
- AP spreads down T-Tubules & transmits AP from sarcolemma to interior of myofiber
- depolarization in T tubules activates dihydropyridine receptors
- changes Ca permeability in foot proteins (ryanodine receptors) = Ca release channels
- Ca released into cytosol to bind to troponin C
- when myofiber is relaxed: actin-binding site is covered by troponin-tropomyosin complex
- when muscle fiber is excited: Ca binds to troponin C ➞ causes sequence of conformational changes that pulls troponin-tropomyosin complex aside to expose binding site
Ca stimulates conformational changes in troponin C- troponin C changes structure ➔ troponin I changs structure ➔ tropomyosin changes structure & frees myosin-binding site
sarcoplasmic reticulum
modified ER composed of interconnected tubules where Ca is actively transported & stored
- separate segments of SR are wrapped around each A band & each I band
- lateral sacs = enlarged regions of SR at the end of each A & I band on both sides of T-tubules that store Ca
lateral sacs
enlarged regions of SR at the end of each A & I band on both sides of T-tubules that store Ca
transverse (T) Tubule
perpendicular continuous extension of sarcolemma at each A band-I band junction ➔ transmits AP from sarcolemma to interior of myofiber
-
dihydropyridine receptor = voltage-gated receptor protein in T tubule membrane
- activated by depolarization in T-tubules
- open foot proteins in adjacent lateral sacs that release Ca
foot proteins
Ca release channels in lateral sacs of SE
- aka ryanodine receptors
- triggered by dihydropyridine receptor
dihydropyridine receptor
voltage-gated receptor protein in T tubule membrane
- activated by depolarization in T-tubules ➔ open foot proteins in adjacent lateral sacs
ATP movement in contraction
- split by myosin ATPase ➔ stores energy in cross bridge
- when Ca is excited it moves the troponin-tropomyosin complex
- ADP + Pi released by power stroke of cross bridge
- cross-bridge detaches & ATP binds to myosin
- cycle repeats
motor unit
1 motor neuron & all fibers it innervates
- 1 motor neuron innervates multiple muscle fibers but each muscle fiber is only supplied by 1 motor neuron
- all muscle fibers contract when motor neuron is activated
- motor neuron is distributed evenly throughout muscle ➔ even contraction
- # of muscle fibers/unit per muscle
- precise, delicate movements = ↓
- powerful, coarse movements = ↑
motor unit recruitment
↑ # of motor units contraction
- less for weaker, more for stronger
- results in large incremental increases in whole-muscle tension
- ↑ motor units ≠ same degree of fine control
- asynchronous recruitment can delay or prevent fatigue
muscle tension
extended contraction
- depends on # of motor units recruited & tension developed my each contracting fiber
- influenced by:
- frequency of stimulation
- length of fiber at onset
- extent of fatigue
- thickness of fiber