Muscular System Flashcards
The molecule used to send messages from neurons to muscle cells.
Acetylcholine
The enzyme that breaks down the chemical messenger sent between nerve and muscle cells, which ends the signal to contract.
Acetylcholinesterase
A change in the electrical charge on a nerve or muscle cell (aka, the nerve impulse).
Action Potential
A long fiber that sends an electrical signal from a neuron to another cell.
Axon
A swelling at the end of a nerve fiber where the electrical signal is converted into a chemical message.
Axon Terminal
The molecule in a membrane that allows ions to cross the membrane, resulting in a change in the electrical properties of the cell.
Channel Protein if always open, Gate Protein if it opens and closes under different conditions.
An enlarged portion of sarcoplasmic reticulum which stores calcium.
Cisternae
The change from a negative charge to a positive charge in a nerve or muscle cell.
Depolarization
A layer of connective tissue surrounding a single muscle cell.
Endomysium
A layer of connective tissue surrounding an entire muscle.
Epimysium
The process where a nerve impulse is converted into a movement of the muscle.
Excitation-Contraction Coupling
The outermost and thickest connective tissue surrounding an entire muscle which separates the muscle from other muscles and attaches it to a bone.
Fascia
This is a bundle of muscle cells.
Fascicle
A contraction where a muscle stays the same length while generating force.
isometric Contraction
A contraction where a muscle applies a constant force while shortening.
Isotonic Contraction
The place where a muscle cell receives a chemical message from a nerve cell.
Motor End Plate
This is the proper name for a muscle cell.
Muscle Fiber or Myocyte
This is a protein in a muscle cell.
Muscle Filament or Myofilament
The slight contraction held by muscles due to the random actions of motor units.
Muscle Tone
Root word that translates as “muscle.”
Myo
This is a group of proteins inside of a muscle cell surrounded by SR.
Myofibril
A protein that stores oxygen in muscle cells.
Myoglobin
The place where a nerve cell communicates with a muscle cell.
Neuromuscular Junction
The chemical messenger released by nerve cells.
Neurotransmitter
A layer of connective tissue surrounding a bundle of muscle cells.
Perimysium
The molecule in a membrane that gets the message from the chemical messenger released by the neuron.
Receptor Protein
An increase in the force of a contraction due to the muscle activating more motor units.
Recruitment
The change from a positive charge to a negative charge in a nerve or muscle cell.
Repolarization
The normal electrical charge on a nerve or muscle cell.
Resting Potential
Root word that translates as “flesh.”
Sarco
This is the specialized ER of a muscle cell.
Sarcoplasmic Reticulum
The muscle cell membrane.
Sarcolemma
The cytoplasm of a muscle cell.
Sarcoplasm
The place where a nerve cell communicates with another cell.
Synapse
The gap between a nerve cell and another cell.
Synaptic Cleft
A cell with multiple nuclei.
Synctium
An increase in the force of a contraction resulting from several quick stimuli arriving while the muscle is still partly contracted.
Temporal Summation or Wave Summation
A steady contraction at a constant force resulting from very rapid stimulation of the muscle.
Tetanus
The minimum stimulus required to initiate a contraction.
Threshold
A pit reaching from the muscle cell membrane deep inside the muscle cell.
Transverse Tubules
An increase in the force of a contraction due to the muscle warming up after it relaxes briefly.
Treppe
A T-Tubule plus two cisternae associated with it.
Triad
Also practice putting the events of a contraction in order!
Study the Muscle Contraction Steps Worksheet!
