Isolated Single Cardiac Myocyte

Note the Myofibrils (= columns of sarcomeres connected end-to-end)

(Scale Bar [lower left] = 20 microns)
Magnified View - Myofibrils & Sarcomeres in an Isolated Cardiac Myocyte
Dark bands = “A” bands of sarcomere; light bands = “I” bands
 A small segment of a Myofibril
Showing 2 sarcomeres in series
Magnified view of a single sarcomere –(electron microscopic image)
Distance between Z-lines = approx. 2 microns
Width = approx. 1 micron
 Detailed Filament Structure of a Sarcomere
Thick filaments (1.6 microns long) composed of myosin.
Thin filaments (1.0 micron long) composed of actin.
Thick & thin filaments slide past one another as a sarcomere lengthens.
(Both thick and thin filaments keep length fixed as sarcomere lengthens.)
Titin (elastic filament connecting Z-band to thick filament) does stretch.
At Z-band, thin filaments from 2 sarcomeres are woven together
to transmit force from one sarcomere to the next in series.
Cross-bridges (extensions from thick filament) generate active force
when the “head” of a myosin molecule attaches to an actin molecule.
(For now, you can ignore -- C-zone and M-band)
Details of Thin and Thick Filament Structure in a Sarcomere
 Schematic diagram of thick and thin filaments

Moss, R. L. et al. Circ Res 2004;94:1290-1300

Copyright ©2004 American Heart Association

 Action of a Crossbridge to Generate Force or Shortening
Unattached head of myosin molecule is in an “extended” position (left).
After myosin attaches to actin, head rotates around attachment point.
That rotation (on right) pulls thin filament in (shortening sarcomere)
OR – if shortening is not allowed
the head rotation stretches coiled “springy” portion of crossbridge
to produce force.
Switching Contraction On/Off via Ca++, Troponin & Tropomyosin
When no Ca++ is bound to troponin, tropomyosin blocks binding sites.
After Ca++ binds to troponin,
tropomyosin can be shifted laterally away from binding sites,
and crossbridges can form to develop force.
 Neighboring Tropomyosin Molecules Overlap
near site where troponin also interacts with tropomyosin
This overlap allows cooperative shifting
of two neighboring tropomyosin molecules
 Tension-pCa relationship from rat myocardium at 15°C.
Tension at each submaximal pCa was scaled to maximum tension measured at pCa 4.5

Moss, R. L. et al. Circ Res 2004;94:1290-1300

Copyright ©2004 American Heart Association

 Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR) Surrounds Each Sarcomere
SR stores Ca++ between beats, releases Ca++ at start of each beat,
and has SERCA pumps inserted into its membranes
that pump Ca++ back inside SR vesicles to relax muscle.
Transverse tubules (T-tubules) transmit electrical activation signal
from the cell surface to the SR surrounding each sarcomere.
Pumps, Exchangers & Channels Cycle Ca++ into/out of Cytoplasm
SERCA Ca++-ATPase pumps Ca++ into SR.
Ca++-release channel in SR opens at start of systole to dump Ca++ .
Exchanger transports Ca++ out of cytoplasm in diastole (“polarized”),
but it actually allows Ca++ to enter during systole (“depolarized”) !
Ca++ channel in sarcolemma opens during systole to let Ca++ into cell.