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| ***Function - exercise, bursts of activity | | ***Function - exercise, bursts of activity |
| *Muscle activation is initiated by a nervous impulse crossing the Neuromuscular Junction | | *Muscle activation is initiated by a nervous impulse crossing the Neuromuscular Junction |
− | **The neurotransmitter, Acetylcholine (Ach), binds receptors in the muscle fiber to open Na+ channels | + | **The neurotransmitter, '''Acetylcholine (Ach)''', binds receptors in the muscle fiber to open Na+ channels |
| **This causes a wave of depolarization along the sarcoplasmic membrane, further opening voltage-gated Na+ channels, which propagates the signal along the sarcolemma | | **This causes a wave of depolarization along the sarcoplasmic membrane, further opening voltage-gated Na+ channels, which propagates the signal along the sarcolemma |
| **Depolarization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum causes Calcium to be released, which activates muscle contraction | | **Depolarization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum causes Calcium to be released, which activates muscle contraction |
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| ***Myosin heads bind Actin subunits, forming cross-bridges, hydrolyzing ATP and providing energy for contraction | | ***Myosin heads bind Actin subunits, forming cross-bridges, hydrolyzing ATP and providing energy for contraction |
| ***Myosin heads undergo power stroke, displacing Actin and releasing ADP and Pi | | ***Myosin heads undergo power stroke, displacing Actin and releasing ADP and Pi |
| + | *Control of skeletal muscle activity is regulated by the '''thin filament''' |
| + | **In the off state, tropomyosin coiled-coils block the helical grooves of the actin filament |
| + | **Tropomyosin movement relieves the steric block, allowing access to myosin binding sites |
| ***Calcium regulates muscle contraction by binding troponin-C, which is attached to the thin filament | | ***Calcium regulates muscle contraction by binding troponin-C, which is attached to the thin filament |
| ***This causes inhibition of the steric block keeping Actin and Myosin from interacting | | ***This causes inhibition of the steric block keeping Actin and Myosin from interacting |
− | **Increased Calcium causes a negative feedback inhibition of Ca release, and it is pumped back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum by the Ca/ATPase pump
| + | *Increased Calcium causes a negative feedback inhibition of Ca release, and it is pumped back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum by the Ca/ATPase pump |
| + | |
| + | ==Smooth Muscle== |
| + | *Smooth muscle lacks troponin |
| + | *Control of smooth muscle contraction involves '''thin and thick filament regulation''' |
| + | * Thin filament regulation is carried out by the actin binding protein, '''Caldesmon''', which binds the thin filament and blocks myosin access |
| + | **'''Calmodulin''' (activated by binding Ca) binds caldesmon and causes its dissociation from actin, enabling contraction |
| + | *Thick filament regulation occurs by the '''phosphorylation''' of the '''regulatory light chain (RLC)''' |
| + | **Calmodulin-Ca binds and activates myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) |
| + | **MLCK then phosphorylates RLC, turning myosin on |
| + | **Myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) switches myosin off |
| | | |
| ==Tendon== | | ==Tendon== |