Week 1 Flashcards
(263 cards)
What two things form the intercalated discs in cardiac muscle?
- fascia adherents
- desmosomes
What do the fascia adherents do? (transverse component)
anchors thin filaments to sarcolemma
How is sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac muscle different than in skeletal muscle?
- less developed than in skeletal muscle
- Has a dyad arrangement where SR end attached to T-tubule
What relays action potential to cardiomyocytes in heart?
purkinje fibers
CARDIAC EXCITATION-CONTRACTION
- (A blank) channels depolarize sarcolemma -> AP spreads
- AP travels down (B blank)
- DHPRs on (B blank) open to allow calcium to enter cell
- DHPRs are not physically linked to RyR in cardiac muscle…increasing Ca in cell opens RyRs to release Ca from sarcoplasmic reticulum.
- Released Ca binds troponin, tropomyosin moves, myosin binds actin and cross bridging begins
A blank - Sodium
B blank - T-tubules
CARDIAC EXCITATION-CONTRACTION
- Sodium channels depolarize sarcolemma -> AP spreads
- AP travels down T-tubules
- (blank A) on T-tubules open to allow (Blank B) to enter cell
- (Blank A) are not physically linked to RyR in cardiac muscle…increasing (Blank B) in cell opens RyRs to release (Blank B) from sarcoplasmic reticulum.
- Released (Blank B) binds troponin, tropomyosin moves, myosin binds actin and cross bridging begins
- Blank A- DHPRs
- Blank B - calcium
What is phospholamban?
protein on sarcoplasmic reticulum that modulates SERCA pump activity
What is digitalis?
Blocks the Na/K pump and causes an increases in Calcium inside cardiomyocyte because Na cannot leave the cell and continues to induce AP….leads to increased contraction
What is the function of pacemaker cells in SA node and purkinje fibers?
* These cells depolarize in a cyclic fashion
* Na channels leak ions and slowly raise potential until threshold is reached. Allows for continuous cycle of heart contraction
How does PKA play a part in heart contraction?
With increased PKA activity there is increased contractility
Elevated PKA activity enhances Ca2+ cycling and increases cardiac muscle contractility.
What activates PKA?
increased cAMP activates PKA which then increases contractility
What does PKA target to increase contractility? (3)
- DHPRs and RyRs - to increase calcium influx
- Phospholamban - to increased SERCA activity and thus amount of stored calcium
- Troponin- increases sensitivity to calcium
How does epinephrine and norepinephrine affect PKA activity?
Epinephrine/norepinephrine can increase cAMP and thus activate PKA
What are ways to reduce cardiac contraction? (4)
- parasympathetic activity - ACh hyperpolarizes cardiomyocyte (inhibit AP)
- Beta blockers- reduce cAMP/PKA activity
- Low pH exports K+ which makes cell more negative inside (hyperpolarizes) - harder to excite cell now
- Hypoxia - low oxygen levels lowers ATP available for cross bridge cycles
How does electricity/AP move through heart?
- SA node
- AV node
- bundle of His
- purkinje fibers
- purkinje fibers causes action potential in cardiomyocytes
How are purkinje fibers different from cardiomyocytes in terms of staining?
Stain lighter because more glucose uptake in purkinje fibers
what fuel source is preferred by cardiac tissue?
- Fatty acids
also. …glucose/lactate (increased use with exercise) and ketones (least preferred but done in emergencies)
How does cardiac tissue receive oxygen and nutrients/
- cardiac tissue is filled with capillaries that bring oxygen and nutrients.
- cardiomycotes have high number of mitochondria -depend mostly oxidative phosphorylation
What nervous system (general) regulates smooth muscle?
autonomic nervous system
(sympathetic/parasympathetic) usually innervates blood vessels?
sympathetic nervous system
What is the enteric nervous system?
subdivision of autonomic nervous system that regulates GI tract. In control of gut peristalsis and digestive secretions
In smooth muscle, how are the axons different than in skeletal muscle?
- axons have several bead like swellings along length called varicosities
- Varicosities - release NT and NTs diffuse to surface of smooth muscle to initiate contraction
Differentiate multi-unit vs single unit in smooth muscle
- Multi unit - independent cells that contract separately
- Single unit - linked cells in sheets or bundles that are all connected by gap junctions
Multi-unit vs single unit
- nervous innervation or hormone+nerve regulation
- ECM separates+insulates cells in which unit?
- Where is each typically found?
Multi-unit
- Nervous innervation (single innervation)
- ECM separates + insulates cells
- Found in iris of eyes, arrector pili muscles of skin
Single Unit
- Regulated by hormones and nerves
- small ECM that doesn’t insulate
- Found in blood vessels, GI tract, uterus, and urinary tract



