Skeletal Muscle Flashcards
what is the neuromuscular junction
where the neuron connects to the muscle
What happens at the neuromuscular junction
- The action potential reaches the terminal bouton of axon
- voltage gated calcium channels open up which stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter ACH
- ACH binds to the nicotinic cholinergic receptor, which allows for Na+ to enter the muscle cells
- this causes an action potential in the muscle fibers
What is the motor end plate
a specialized region of the muscle fibers plasma membrane with many nicotinic cholinergic receptors
What is the neurotransmitter used in the neuromuscular junction
Acetycholine, the only neurotransmitter in the somatic nervous system
what ion channels play an important role in excitation of muscle fibers
voltage gated calcium channels (release ACH) Cation channels (allow for depolarization of muscle)
What does acetylcholinesterase do
it breaks down the ACH in the synaptic cleft
Where is acetylcholinesterase located
between the invaginations of the motor end plate
Why is acetylcholinesterase important
breaking down the ACH terminates the excitatory signal and causes the muscle to relax
once an action potential is generated in muscle where does it spread
over the muscle fiber sarcolemna in all directions
what is excitation-contraction coupling
it’s the sequence of events that connects the excitation of muscle fibers to their contraction
what is a T-tubule
invaginations in the sarcolemna that extend deep into the muscle fibers and run along the myofibrils
What is the sarcoplasmic reticulum
smooth ER that stores calcium which is necessary for muscle contraction
What are the steps of Excitation-contraction coupling
- ACH is realeased from neuron which causes depolarization of the muscle fiber
- the action potential runs down the sarcolemna and dives down into the T-tubules
- in the T-Tubules the DHP receptor is activated by the action potential
- the DHP receptor pulls on the Ryanodine receptor.
- the Ryanodine receptor opens, allowing calcium to leave the sarcoplasmic reticulum
- Calcium binds to troponin exposing the myosin binding sites on actin
- crossbridge cycle leads to muscle contraction
- Ca+ is pushed back into sarcoplasmic reticulum by Ca+ ATPase pumps
- tropomyosin blocks the myosin binding sites on actin
- muscle relaxes
What is the organization of skeletal muscle from largest to smallest
- Muscle
- Fascicle
- muscle fiber (myofiber)
- myofibril
- Sarcomere
- Myosin
- Actin
What is a fascicle
A bundle of muscle fibers
what is a muscle fiber
an individual muscle cell, made up of many myofibrils
What is a myofibril
a rodlike thing in a muscle cell that houses the sarcomere and is surrounded by the sarcoplasmic reticulum
What is a sarcomere
it’s the functional unit of muscle. It’s made up of myosin and actin
What are the bands/zones/lines on the sarcomere (name and what makes them)
- A band - Where any myosin is found (DARK)
- I band - where ONLY actin is found (Light)
- H zone - Where ONLY myosin is found (Medium)
- M line - scaffolding protein holding myosin together
- Z line - scaffolding protein holding actin together
how do we define one sarcomere
area from one z line to another.
What happens to sarcomere zones/lines/bands during contraction
- A band doesn’t change
- I band shrinks
- H zone shrinks
- M line stays stationary
- z lines move closer together`
What causes muscle to look striated
the bands and zones of the sarcomere
What are the layers of connective tissue in skeletal muscle
connective tissue wraps up each muscle fiber, fascicle, and surrounds the whole muscle. When the muscle contracts it pulls on the connective tissue around it, which pulls on the tendon (where all of the connective tissue meets up) and pulls the bones closer together.
What is cross bridge cycling
its the interaction between actin and myosin and how it all works
what role does calcium play in cross bridge cycling
calcium binds to troponin which pulls tropomyosin off of myosin binding sites of actin allowing myosin heads to bind and cause contraction
What is the thick filament
Myosin
What is Myosin made of
Many myosin proteins
how many thin filaments surround one thick filament
6
Does Myosin use ATP
yes, it breaks it down and releases the energy
What is the thin filament
Actin