Microstructure and contraction Flashcards
(41 cards)
What are the 3 muscle types?
Smooth
Cardiac
skeletal
What is the smooth muscle under the control of?
Autonomic nervous system- causes involuntary movement
What influences the cardiac muscle?
Autonomic nervous system and circulating chemicals
What is the significance of skeletal muscle?
- Under voluntary control
- attached to bones usually and contract to bring about movement
Classify the structure of skeletal muscles from macroscopic to microscopic
Muscle - Fascicles– Myofibres– myofibril- Myofilaments

Name as much shape of muscles as you can and give examples of where you can find them
- Triangular- Deltoid
- Fusiform- biceps brachii
- bipennate
What are the connective tissues of the muscles and what do they cover? Any significance ?
- Epimysium- covers muscle
- perimysium- covers fascicles
- endomysium- covers muscle fibre(myofibres)
they are rigid and doesnt allow expansion
Why is a myofibre multinuleated?
Myoblasts fuse together to form more than one nucleus
What is contained in the sarcoplasm of a myofibre?
Myoglobin and mitochondria
What is a network of fluid filled tubules in myofibres called?
Sarcoplasmic reticulum
What is the diameter of a myoFIBRIL? Explain their structure across myofibre
- 1-2uM
- it extends along the entire length of myofibres
What’s the difference between myofibril and myofilament?
Myofilament DOES NOT extend across the who length of the myofibres unlike myofibrils
Draw and label a sarcomere

Describe the structure of myosin
2 globular heads
single tail formed by 2 alpha helixes
tails of several hundred molecules form one filament

Describe the structure of actin filament
- Actin molecules twisted into helix
- has a myosin binding site
- contains tropomyosin and troponin complex

Explain what happens to the bands during contraction according to the sliding filament theory?
- I band becomes shorter
- A band stays the same
- H zone narrows or disappears
Describe what happens after AP propagates along surface membrane and into T- tubules
- The change in AP activates DIHYRDOPYRIDINE receptor in T tubule membrane- changes shape of protein linked to ryanodine receptor
- This then opens the RYANODINE receptor Ca2+ channels in sarcoplasmic reticulum (as they’re coupled)
- calcium ions relases into space surrounding filaments from sarcoplamsic reticulum

What causes CrossBridge to form? How is calcium ions transported back in to SR
Ca2+ binds to troponin and tropomysoin movies allowing cross bridges to form
Active transport; during AP , uptake is lower than or equal to release rate
Describe what happens during sliding of actin and myosin filaments

One average how many muscle fibres is supplied by a motor neurone? What is this called?
What is the significance
600- motor unit (name given to a single motor neurone and the fibres it innervate)
stimulation of one motor unit causes contraction of all muscle fibres in that unit
What is the significance of the innnervation ratio ?
The lower innervation ratio the greater dexterity and control of the muscle
Large number of muscle fibres and low axons are for muscles for power

what are the 3 different types of mtor units? what are the properties of the msucles in each unit
- S type- slow
- FR type IIA; Fastand fatigue resistant
- FF type IIB- very Fast, Fatugueable
what are the neuronal features of the S type motor unit
- smallest diameter of soma
- small dendrtitic trees
- thinnest axons
- slowest conduction velocities
what are the neuronal features of the FR and FF fibres
- Larger soma diameter
- Largers dendritic trees
- thicker axons
- faster conduction velocity
N/B FF is faster and thicker than FR

