MUSCULAR SYSTEM

A. Introduction
Identify each of the 3 subtypes of muscle tissue: skeletal, cardiac, smooth

Describe the functions of this system.

Movement –

Stability –

Control openings –

Heat production –

Glycemic control –
All muscle types share certain characteristics. Describe the following.
Excitability –

Conductivity –

Contractility –

Extensibility –

Elasticity –

B. Skeletal muscle
What does it mean for this type of muscle to be under voluntary control?

Identify the muscle fiber and striations in the image of skeletal muscle on the previous page.

Muscles are organized into various layers/compartments by

connective tissues. Identify the following structures below: muscle
fiber, muscle fascicle, endomysium, perimysium, epimysium, fascia,
tendon, aponeurosis
Be aware that different muscles come in different shapes, which are classified by the overall shape of the
muscle. See figure 10.2 in your book.

Describe the four functional groups of muscle.

Prime mover –

Synergist –

Antagonist –

Fixator –

Identify each functional group in the images below.

At least be aware of the terms origin and insertion. These anatomical terms have been used historically, and are
still somewhat in use. However, the anatomical terminology that references the positions of structures in
anatomical position (e.g., proximal, distal, anterior, posterior, etc.) are more appropriate.

Why do muscle fibers (cells) in skeletal muscle have multiple nuclei?

The muscle fiber (cell)
Match the terms on the left to their equivalent structure on the right.
Sarcolemma ER
Sarcoplasm plasma membrane
Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) cytoplasm

Identify the following structures in the image below (left): sarcolemma, sarcoplasm, myofibril, nucleus,
mitochondria, sarcoplasmic reticulum (triad: terminal cisterns & transverse tubules)

Myofibril structure
Myofibrils are made of numerous protein filaments called ___________________. Identify these structures in
the image above.

Describe the following myofilaments.

Thick –

Thin –

Elastic –
Identify the following structures in the images below (some structures can be found in more than one image):
thick filament, thin filament, myosin protein, myosin head, actin, troponin, tropomyosin, elastic filament

Muscle contraction (i.e., shortening of the muscle

fibers) is the result of interactions between the above
filaments. Specifically, the proteins ____________ and _____________ do the work of contraction. Whether or
not these proteins can interact is regulated by the proteins _______________ and ________________.

Try to describe the process of initiating contraction in 4 discrete steps using the following terms: calcium,
troponin, tropomyosin, actin, active site, myosin head, ATP (it is okay to use terms in more than one step)
1.

2.

3.

4.

If calcium is not present, can there be a contraction?

Striations
*Result from the organizational pattern of myosin and actin filaments

Label the following: A-band, I-band, Z disc, sarcomere

sarcomere

Z disc

*Entire muscle fibers (cells) contract when all the sarcomeres of the fiber shorten

When ATP is hydrolyzed (split) to ADP, this causes the myosin head of the thick filament to detach from the
active site on the actin filament and return to its original shape (see image of myosin protein above for “original
shape”). Why doesn’t the actin filament slip back into place after the myosin head releases?

C. Nerve-muscle association
Define the following.
Somatic motor neuron –

Somatic motor fiber –

Motor unit –
Why are there multiple motor units, each of which is spread throughout, in one muscle?
What is the difference between small and large motor units?

Neuromuscular junction – where nerve meets muscle

Identify the following: terminal branch (of axon), muscle fiber, synapse, axon terminal, synaptic cleft,
acetylcholine (Ach), synaptic vesicles, Ach receptor proteins, basal lamina
Muscle cells, and neurons, are electrically excitable cells. This means they respond to changes in
____________.

Is the resting membrane potential of skeletal muscle cells positive or negative? Why?

What other factors might contribute to membrane potential (the charge across the plasma membrane)? Hint:
think about how charged particles might get across a cell membrane

Insert the correct term.

________________ - drastic change in membrane potential (MP); e.g., going from –MP to +MP

________________ - the MP returns to its original resting state; e.g., going from +MP back to –MP

________________ - the quick up and down voltage shift of a cell membrane

When there is a stimulus (in this case the stimulus is a change in voltage) at an electrically excitable cell, what
events occur that involve sodium and potassium? Be sure to use the terms depolarization and repolarization.

When the voltage shift is strong enough in an area of the membrane, it creates the action potential (AP). Where
does this action potential “go” and what is this process called?
The 4 phases of muscle contraction include:
1. Excitation
2. Excitation-contraction coupling
3. Contraction
4. Relaxation

Major steps.
1. Excitation:
a) Nerve signal (stimulus) reaches the axon terminal
b) Calcium (Ca2+) enters terminal thru voltage gated protein channels
c) Synaptic vesicles stimulated to release ACh (exocytosis) to synaptic cleft
d) Ion gates bind ACh, allowing Na+ to rush in, followed by K+ rushing out, creating AP
e) Voltage-gated Na+/ K+ channels near the AP become stimulated, eliciting more APs

Identify the following in the images below: Ca2+, ACh, ACh receptor, Na+/K+ channels, Na+, K+, APs
Place the letters for the steps a-e (above) in the images where these events are occurring.
2. Excitation-contraction
coupling:
a) Wave of APs reach T tubules and continue downward
b) Stimulates Ca2+ channels to open in terminal cisterns
c) Ca2+ reaches troponin…

Identify the following in the images below: APs, T tubule, terminal cisterns, Ca2+, thin filament (troponin,
tropomyosin, actin)
Place the letters for the steps a-c (above) in the images where these events are occurring.

3. Contraction: You
know what happens here…see
the gif in the instructor
powerpoint

4. Relaxation:
a) Nerve signal ceases
and ACh no longer secreted
b) AChE enzyme
breaks down remaining ACh

Identify the AChE enzyme and the breakdown of ACh in the image.

If ACh is no longer binding to ACh receptors, how does this stop contraction?

D. Physiological classes of skeletal muscle fibers

Fiber
AKA For For Uses more characteristic
Fast twitch red -or- slow endurance posture -or- aerobic resp. thick -or-
white -or- quick response power -or- fermentation thin

Slow twitch red -or- slow endurance posture -or- aerobic resp. thick -or-
white -or- quick response power -or- fermentation thin
Why are red fibers so red?

True or False: Each muscle contains only one fiber type, either fast twitch or slow twitch.

Fiber type mixtures.

“Sprinter” -or- “marathoner” “Sprinter” -or- “marathoner”

E. Cardiac muscle
What are the cells of this muscle type called?

Is this muscle type under voluntary or involuntary control?

What types of neurons innervate this muscle type?

Where is this muscle type found?

Identify the following: cardiomyocyte, nucleus, striation, intercalated disc

Compared to skeletal muscle

cells, cardiomyocytes have ________ SR and _________ T tubules.

In many ways, contraction of cardiac muscle works similarly to that in skeletal muscle. However,
cardiomyocytes can contract without stimulation from the nervous system. How can this happen?

The predominant form of cellular metabolism used by these cells is aerobic respiration -or- fermentation?
F. Smooth muscle
Is this muscle type under voluntary or involuntary control?

Are the cells of this muscle type striated or not?

Compared to striated muscle types, how quickly and how long can smooth muscle stay contracted?

Where can you find smooth muscle in the body, and how are its layers often organized?

How does the organization of smooth muscle layers contribute to its function?

Recall myosin and actin proteins, and describe the following.

Intermediate filament –

Dense bodies –

Identify the following: intermediate filament, dense body, myosin, actin

Compared to skeletal muscle, smooth muscle has ________ SR, has _____ T tubules, and Z discs are replaced
by ______________.
Like cardiac muscle, smooth muscle cells may contract without be stimulated by the nervous system. How else
can smooth muscle be stimulated to contract?

Some smooth muscle may be stimulated by the autonomic nervous system. Identify the following components
of the ANS: autonomic nerve fiber, varicosity, synaptic vesicle
Ca2+ is needed for contraction of smooth muscle, just like any other muscle type. However, the SR is very
reduced and doesn’t always provide enough Ca2+ for contraction. Where do smooth muscle cells obtain the Ca2+
needed to contract?