SKELETAL MUSCLE CONTRACTION
ADP and inorganic phosphate are released
Skeletal muscles are composed of bundles of
muscles fibers that are long cylindrical cells
containing several nuclei.
Neuromuscular junction is the site of signal
exchange. This is where the synaptic bulb of an
axon terminal and muscle fiber connect. Muscle
fibers are composed of many myofibrils. A
myofibril contains contractile units called
sarcomeres. Sarcomeres run adjacent to one
another down the length of myofibril.
Each sarcomere consists of alternating thick and
thin protein filaments giving skeletal muscle its
straited appearance. The muscle contracts when
these filaments slide past each other. The thick
filaments are myosin which are anchored at the
center of the sarcomere , called the M line. The
thin filaments are composed of protein actin,
which are anchored on the Z lines, on the outer
edges of the sarcomere.
Because the actin filaments are anchored on the
Z lines, the sarcomere shortens from both sides
when actin filaments die along the myosin
filaments. Although the actin between the
filaments are described as “sliding” the myosin
filaments actually pulls the actin along its length.
The cross bridges of the myosin filaments attach
to the actin and exert force on them to move. The
action is known as the sliding filament
mechanism of muscle contraction.
In this model. The sarcomeres shorten without
the thick or thin filaments changing its length. A
contraction begins when a bound ATP is
hydrolyzed to ADP and inorganic phosphate. This
causes the myosin head to extend and can attach
to a binding site on actin forming a cross-bridge.
An action, called the power-stroke, is triggered
allowing myosin to pull actin filament toward the
M line thereby shortening the sarcomere.
during the power stroke. The myosin stay
attached to actin until a new molecule of
ATP binds, freeing the myosin to wither go
through another cycle of binding and more
contraction or remain unattached to allow the
muscle relax. Muscle contraction are controlled
by the actions of calcium . The thin actin filaments
are associated with regulatory proteins called
troponin and tropomyosin
When a muscle is relaxed, tropomyosin blocks
the cross bridge binding sites on actin.
When calcium ions levels are high enough and
ATP is present, calcium ion bind to the troponin
which displaces tropomyosin exposing the
myosin binding sites on actin. This allows myosin
to attach to a binding site on actin forming a cross
bridge. Calcium ions are stored in the
sarcoplasmic reticulum and are released in
response to signals from the nervous system to
contract.
Neurotransmitter molecules are released from a
neuron and bind to a receptor which depolarizes
membrane of the muscle fiber.
The electrical impulse travels down the T-tubules
and opens calcium stores. Calcium ions flow to
the myofibrils where they trigger a muscle
contraction.
As actin and myosin slide along each other, the
entire sarcomere shortens as the Z lines draw
closer to the M line. As the sarcomeres in
myofibrils contract, the entire muscle siber will
shorten
When the muscle fibers contract in unison, a
muscle can produce enough force to move the
body.