Unit Test 2 Flashcards
Motor unit activation
First step in initiating action potential
Trigger zone
Site of action potential; AP initiated when cell body is depolarized past AP threshold
Action potential threshold
Critical level to which a membrane potential must be depolarized to initiate AP
Excitatory neurons
Cause depolarization of motor nerve; membrane potential becomes more positive
Inhibitory neurons
Cause hyperpolarization of motor nerve; membrane potential becomes more negative
Spatial summation
When three excitatory neurons fire with their graded potentials being separate and below the threshold, the graded potentials arrive at trigger zone together and sum to create a supra threshold signal, generating AP
What happens if there is an inhibitory neuron present in spatial summation?
The sum of one inhibitory and two excitatory will not be enough to generate an AP
Temporal summation
When multiple excitatory neurons cause a depolarization that reaches the trigger zone at the same time, and sum to cause a depolarization that triggers AP
Spatial vs temporal summation
Spatial: several weak signals from different locations converted to a single one
Temporal: converts a rapid series of weak pulses from a single source of into one large signal
Depolarization
Opening of voltage gates Na+ channels
Repolarization
Closure of Na+ and opening of K+ voltage-gated channels
Hyperpolarization
Voltage gated K+ channels remain open after potential reaches resting level (refractory period)
- necessary for system to rest Na+ and K+ concentrations for next AP
Acetylcholine release
- AP depolarizes axon terminal
- Opening of voltage gates Ca+ channels and
Ca+ enters the cell - Triggers exocytosis of acetylcholine in the
synaptic cleft and binds with receptors on
the postsynaptic cell - ACh diffuses across the synaptic cleft and
binds with receptors on the postsynaptic cell - Response initiated in the postsynaptic cell
ACh breakdown
- ACh made from choline and acetyl CoA
- ACh broken down by AChesterase in synaptic
cleft - Choline transported back into axon terminal
and is used to make more ACh
Excitation of muscle membrane
Initiated by ACh in NMJ and triggers contraction by releasing Ca2+ from SR into muscle’s cytosol
ACh breakdown
- ACh made from choline and acetyl CoA
- ACh broken down by AChesterase in synaptic
cleft - Choline transported back into axon terminal
and is used to make more ACh
Ca2+ release
- Somatic motor neuron releases ACh into NMJ
- Entry of Na+ through ACh receptor channel
initiates AP - AP activates DHPR
- DHPR activates RYR which triggers the release
of Ca2+ from SR into cytosol
Contraction
Release of Ca2+ into cytosol
Relaxation
A muscle will continue to contract until Ca2+ is pumped out of cytosol back into SR by SERCA pumps
Contraction cycle
- Calcium binds to troponin exposing myosin
binding sites on actin - Myosin head forms cross-bridge w actin
- Pi released from myosin head
- Power stroke
- ATP replaces ADP on myosin head
- Myosin releases actin and moves into cocked
position
Sliding filament theory of muscle contraction
- Ap arrives at the axon terminal of a somatic
motor neuron; axon terminal of the motor
neuron connects to muscle fibre via
neuromuscular junction - Stimulates opening of voltage-gated ca2+
channels and ca2+ enters the axon terminal
3 Increased ca2+ stimulates exocytosis of
synaptic vesicles which release Ach into
synaptic cleft - Ach binds to Ach receptors on postsynaptic
cell (motor end plate of sarcolemmal) - Ligand-gated Na+/K+ channels open; Na+
moves into cell, K+ moves out - Depolarization of Sarcolemma causes voltage
gated Na+ channels to open causing an Ap
across sarcolemma and T-tubules - DHP channel causes RyR to open and allows
Ca2+ to leave sarcoplasmic reticulum +
diffuse into the sarcoplasm - Calcium ions bind to troponin, moving t
tropomyosin off of the active actin sites - Myosin can bind to actin, forming a cross-
bridges … then the contraction cycle
Resting membrane potential
Negative inside, positive outside
Central fatigue
A decrease in the ability of motor neurons to be excited and conduct APs; results in decreased ACh release into NMJ, less excitation and contraction of muscle, decreased force production