Musculoskeletal System - 1

Mrs. Quratulain
 Describe mechanism of muscle contraction.
 Describe sliding- filament mechanism
Reference:

• Guyton chapter: 6

• https://biologydictionary.net/muscle/
General mechanism of muscle contraction
Topics to be covered
A muscle is a group of muscle tissues which contract together to produce a force
Structure of A Muscle/ Muscle Fiber
• A muscle consists of many muscle tissues bundled together
and surrounded by epimysium, a tough connective tissue
 similar to cartilage
• The epimysium surrounds bundles of muscle fibers,
called fascicles
• These fascicles are surrounded by their own protective layer,
the perimysium
• Perimysium allows nerves and blood to flow to the individual
fibers
• Each fiber is then wrapped in an endomysium, another
protective layer
Structure of A Muscle/ Muscle Fiber Cont…..

• These layers and bundles allow different parts of a

muscle to contract differently

• The protective layer surrounding each bundle allows

the different bundles to slide past one another as they

contract

• The epimysium connects to tendons, which attach

muscle tissue with bones

• Being anchored to two bones allows movement of

the skeleton when the muscle contracts.

Structure of A Muscle/ Muscle Fiber Cont…..

• The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is a membrane-

bound structure found within muscle cells that is

similar to the endoplasmic reticulum in other cells

• The main function of the SR is to store calcium ions

(Ca2+). Calcium ion levels are kept relatively constant

Structure of A Muscle/ Muscle Fiber Cont…..
• The sarcoplasmic reticulum is a network of tubules

• extend throughout muscle cells

• wrapping around (but not in direct contact with) the myofibrils

 (contractile units of the cell)

• Cardiac and skeletal muscle cells contain structures called 

transverse tubules (T-tubules),

• T-tubules are extensions of the cell membrane that travel into the

centre of the cell

• T-tubules are closely associated with a specific region of the SR,

known as the terminal cisternae in skeletal muscle

• terminal cisternae  is the primary site of calcium release

GENERAL MECHANISM OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION
•  every muscle functions in a similar manner
• A signal (action potential) is sent from the brain along
a bundle of nerves
• electric and chemical message is passed quickly via
nerve cell and
• finally arrives at the motor end plate (interface
between the muscle and nerve cells)
• Nerve endings at motor end plate releases chemical
signal, acetylcholine, (neurotransmitter)
• acetylcholine acts on a local area of the muscle fiber
membrane to open “acetylcholine gated” channels
GENERAL MECHANISM OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION Cont…….
• Opening of these channels allows large quantities of
sodium ions to diffuse to the interior of the muscle
fiber membrane
• Inside the muscle fiber these sodium ions causes a
local depolarization that in turn leads to opening of
voltage-gated sodium channels, which initiates an
action potential (AP) at the membrane
• AP travels along the whole length of muscle fibre
• This AP causes the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release
large quantities of calcium ions that have been stored
within this reticulum.
GENERAL MECHANISM OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION Cont…….

• The calcium ions initiate attractive forces between the actin and myosin filaments,

causing them to slide alongside each other, which is the contractile process

• After a fraction of a second, the calcium ions are pumped back into the

sarcoplasmic reticulum by a Ca++ membrane pump and remain stored in the

reticulum until a new muscle action potential comes along; this removal of calcium

ions from the myofibrils causes the muscle contraction to cease

GENERAL MECHANISM OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION Cont…….
GENERAL MECHANISM OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION Cont…….