Case Studies: The

Muscular System

Case 1: Law and Order-ASU

John Williams was
preparing to give his
students an exam
when he fell ill. He
began to show signs of
paralysis in his limbs,
and could not move.
The doctors
determined that he
had been injected with
the poison known as
curare.

Question Set 1
Curare causes paralysis by blocking
acetylcholine from binding to muscle
receptors. What is acetylcholine
used for?
Since acetylcholine is being blocked,
which types of muscle do you think
will be affected by curareskeletal,
cardiac, or smooth?

Competitive Inhibitors

Question Set 2
Curare can lead to asphyxiation by
paralyzing which skeletal muscle?
Curare does not affect individuals if
swallowed orally. What could
possibly be the reason that ingested
curare does not cause illness?

Case 2: Police Tasers

During a conference on the recent
jobs bill, a protester was tased by the
police while attempting to interrupt
the president as he spoke about the
legislation. After being tased, the
young man was left incapacitated
until other officers were able to place
him under arrest.

Question Set 3
Which quality of muscle cells allows
for the electrical current in a taser to
cause muscle contraction?
When a muscle cell gets an electrical
stimulus, what are the step that lead
to muscle contraction?

Question Set 4
How does muscle increase in size?
When a muscle hypertrophies, more
thick and thin filaments are created.
How does this lead to an increase in
muscle power?
Is a taser more effective on a person
with more muscle or less muscle?

Question Set 5
Extended tasing leads to muscle
fatigue. What exactly is muscle
fatigue?
When muscle uses its initial source of
ATP, how does the muscle try to
replenish its supply of ATP?

Case 3: Rhabdomyolysis
After an intense
workout, Michael
begins to complain of
muscle weakness and
tenderness. Five days
later, his condition
worsens. After
performing several
tests, he is diagnosed
with exercise-induced
rhabdomyolysis.

Question Set 6
During rhabdomyolysis, myoglobin gets
released in the urine. What is myoglobin,
and what is it used for in muscle?
Dehydration can increase the symptoms
of rhabdomyolysis due to a loss of
electrolyte homeostasis. What are
electrolytes? Name some of the
important electrolytes in the human body.

Question Set 7
Prolonged muscle damage can lead
to an increase in calcium ion release
from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
What could be some of the effects of
excess calcium in muscle cells?
What is tetanus? Can
rhabdomyolysis lead to tetanus-like
conditions? How?

Question Set 8
Patients with rhabdomyolysis are
usually treated with intravenous
fluids containing sodium, calcium,
and potassium. What is the term for
these charged ions?

Case 4: The Abnormally Strong

Mother
A mom and her three
sons are playing in the
yard when a stray
rottweiler runs towards
them. She instinctively
begins to fight the dog
as she screams for her
children to go in the
house. A few minutes
later, she accidentally
snaps the neck of the
dog, killing it instantly.

Question Set 9
During emergency situations, blood
flow to the skeletal muscles increases.
How does this increase the strength
of muscle? (Hint: increased blood flow
will provide what to the muscle?)
What does an increase in oxygen do for
energy usage in the muscle? (Hint: how
does oyxgen play in ATP production?)

Question Set 10
Increased blood flow to muscle leads
to decreased blood flow in other nonessential body parts. These parts
include which organs?