MUSCULAR SYSTEM

Tuesday, May 24, 2022 8:39 AM

A. Organization of Skeletal Muscles

• Each muscle, like a bicep, has three layers of connective tissue,
which provides structure and compartmentalize the muscle fiber.
• Epimysium: a dense irregular connective tissue, which separates
the muscle from other tissues and organs, allowing the muscle to
move independently. It also allows the muscles to contract and
move, all the while maintaining its structural integrity in the
process.
• Inside each skeletal muscle, each muscle fibers are organized into
bundles, called fascicles. These fascicles are surrounded by peri
mysium, another type of connective tissue.
• Inside the fascicle are the muscle cells/myocytes, which is also
surrounded by another layer of connective tissue, endomysium.
• Striations: alternate arrangement of Anisotropic (dark bands), and
Isotropic (light bands)
• Nucleus are found on the periphery of muscle fiber cells.
• Excitability: mainly due to the presence of innervations
• MEP (Motor Entry Points): they are nerve endings
• Axon Terminal/Synaptic Knob/ Terminal Button: is an interesting
point of muscular contraction. Action Potential will propagate
down the axon terminal, which has synaptic vesicles. These vesicles
contain neurotransmitters, especially acetylcholine. When the
action potential reaches the axon terminal, the synaptic vesicle will
release acetyl-colyne which will trigger a series of reactions.

• Sarcolemma = Plasmalemma
○ Specialized plasma membrane which surround the striated
muscle fiber
○ Has a specialized function
○ Has transverse tubules
• Sarcoplasm = Cytoplasm
○ Glycogen: main energy storage; can also be seen on human liver
Mitochondria: for energy production

BIO 100 Page 1

 ○ Mitochondria: for energy production
○ Myoglobin: is a protein that binds oxygen
○ Lipofuscin pigments: the wear and tear pigment
• Sarcoplasmic reticulum

• Transverse tubules
○ Runs perpendicular to the orientation of the muscle
○ Located at the centers of triads at A-I junctions
• Sarcoplasmic reticulum
○ Has a reticulated pattern

• Ryanodine receptor
○ Located in the lateral sac in the sarcoplasmic reticulum
○ Together with the Ca release channels, they are responsible for
the release of Ca2+ from the internal storage during the
excitation-contraction coupling
• Dihydropyridine receptor
○ Located in the t-tubules
Voltage-dependent calcium channels

BIO 100 Page 2

 ○ Voltage-dependent calcium channels
○ When triggered, they will release intra-cellular calcium
○ Part of the excitation-contraction coupling
• Synaptic cleft: space between the synaptic knob and the sarcolemma
• Action Potential --> Axon --> Synaptic knob --> Synaptic vesicle -->
Transmitter --> Synaptic Cleft --> Acetylcholine receptors --> T-
tubules--> release of Ca2+

• Myofibrils
○ Rod-like organelle inside the muscle fiber cell
○ Specialized contractile organelle that make up the 90% of the
volume of the muscle fiber
○ Cylindrical in nature
○ The greater the volume, the greater the force that can be produced
○ 1 myofibril has repeating units of sarcomeres
• Sarcomere
○ The basic contracting unit; "sarco"-flesh
○ Smallest functional unit of a striated muscle tissue
○ From one Z disc to another
○ M Line: extends vertically in the middle of A band
○ H Zone: lighter area in the middle of A band; disappears when
muscle is at full contraction

BIO 100 Page 3

• Globular heads
○ Has two sides containing:
 Actin binding site
 Myosin ATPase site
• Myosin molecules are located at the center of the filament while the
globular heads were protruded.

BIO 100 Page 4

• Components:
○ These two form the troponin-tropomyosin complex
○ Tropomyosin
 Thread-like molecule that covers the actin binding site
○ Troponin
 3-polypeptide located at specific interval of the actin
filament.
 Binds to specific tails:
□ Tropomyosin
□ Actin molecules
□ Calcium molecules

• Cross-bridge occurs when the myosin binds with the actin.

• During the relaxed state of the muscle, tropomyosin covers the
binding site. No cross-bridge in relaxed state.

BIO 100 Page 5

 binding site. No cross-bridge in relaxed state.
• When there is action-potential, and calcium is released in the
muscle, calcium will bind to troponin and will create structural
changes to it. This will allow tropomyosin to slide away from its
blocking position.
• The actin and myosin head can then bind to each other and form
the cross-bridge.
• Troponin's main function is to stabilize the blocking position of
tropomyosin.

• Action Potential
• Resting Membrane Potential (RMP)
○ the membrane of the nerves is negatively-charged (-70
millivolts)
• Sodium Channel
○ Voltage-gated channel, which allows certain molecules
(e.g.Na) to enter when there is a change in millivolts
○ When sodium enters, the membrane will become positive
(30-40 mV) and the action potential will start
• The positive charge will move down the axon then the action
potential will travel to the synaptic knob until the acetylcholine
binds to the Ach receptor.
• After binding to the Ach receptor, Na+ will again rush in and then
action potential will be propagated again.
• Signal from brain --> nerves --> Na+ rush in --> creation of action
potential --> saltatory conduction --> Excitation process: axon
terminal --> vesicle --> calcium in --> release of neurotransmitter in
synaptic cleft --> ach bind to ach receptor in sarcolemma --> Na+
rush in

BIO 100 Page 6

• After excitation process, the action potential will then propagate
through the sarcolemma and down through the t-tubules.
• When it reaches the receptors, it will trigger the release of Ca2+
from the S.R into the myofibrils., the excitation-contraction
coupling is complete.

• Sliding-filament Theory
○ During contraction, thick myosin filaments will slide pass
the actin filaments. Hence, the muscles are shortened
during contraction.
The H Zone will disappear during full contraction because

BIO 100 Page 7

 ○ The H Zone will disappear during full contraction because
of the sliding of the filaments.
○ Isotropin band and the sarcomere will shorten but the A
band, Z disc, and M line will stay the same.

• S.R. will pump back calcium through the Ca2+ ATPase pumps.
• Calsequestrin: main calcium binding protein of the S.R. Regulates
the Ca2+ concentration up to 20 mM. The free Ca2+ will have a 1
mM concentration; serves as storage of S.R. ; makes the ability to
contract frequently happen
• Acetylcholinesterase: found in the synaptic cleft; breaks down or
hydrolyzes the ach neurotransmitter into acetic acid and choline

BIO 100 Page 8