Taylor Gear

Mrs. Somer
Physiology, Period 4
16 December 2014
Muscular System Study Guide
1. First, the nerve impulse reaches the synapse with a muscle cell and acetylcholine
is released. The acetylcholine binds to the muscle cells and triggers an action potential in
the transverse tubules. Then, the sarcoplasmic reticulum releases the stored calcium
which flows around the actin and the myosin, allowing the myosin binding sites to be
exposed on the actin strand. The splitting of the ATP activates the myosin heads to bind to
the actin at the binding site. When this happens, the myosin heads go under a change and
pull the actin strand toward the center of the sarcomere. At the end of the power stroke,
the myosin head attaches to a new ATP molecule and releases its bind on the actin. The
myosin goes on to continue its original conformation, and the process repeats.
2. If an animal were to be shot by a dart tipped with Pumiliotoxin B, the animal
would experience flaccid paralysis after death. This is because the binding sites are
covered so the myosin heads will not be able to reach up, grab the actin, and pull
filaments toward the midline. Therefore there would be no contraction in the muscle. This
poison would affect the myosin heads and the tropomyosin.
3. Rigor mortis is caused when there is a low concentration of ATP and a high of
concentration of calcium. In terms of myosin release,rigor mortis is caused when myosin
heads reach up to attach to the actin causing a power stroke and a shortening of
sarcomere contraction while ATP turns into ADP. Then the myosin heads release and push
the calcium out after the contraction. The victim died a violent death because the body
stiffened quickly and has been in rigor mortis for a long time. For instance, if the victim
was fighting for their life then all of their ATP would be used from contracting their
muscles, leading to a low concentration of ATP.
Clinical Investigation
Calcium is a leading role in muscle contraction. Without it the muscles cannot contract and due
to the fact that she was taking calcium channel blocking drugs for her high blood pressure. This
results in the loss of her ability to contract her muscles which results in muscle fatigue. In order
for her to stop this muscle fatigue she would have to stop blocking her calcium channels.