Skeletal Muscle Chats

Dr. Pandian M
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Physiology
DYPMCKOP
• Questions and answers :
1. Define latent period and enumerate its components.
• Ans.: Latent period : It can be defined as an interval between the application of stimulus and
• beginning of shortening. The components of latent period are : i) True latent period of the nerve ii) Conduction time along the
nerve iii) Delay at myoneural junction iv) Latent period for excitation-contraction coupling v) Instrumental inertia
2. What is excitation-contraction coupling?
• Ans.: Excitation-contraction coupling can be defined as mechanism(s) by which an action potential (excitation) of muscle fibers
produces contraction.
3. What are the factors responsible for relaxation?
• Ans.: The factors responsible for the relaxation are :
• i) Removal of Ca++ from the sarcoplasm into sarcoplasmic reticulum which is an active process.
• ii) Load acting on the muscle
4. Define rheobase, utilization time and chronaxie.
• Ans.: Rheobase : Strength of current just sufficient to excite a tissue when applied for indefinite period of time is called
Rheobase.
• Utilization time : The minimum time required to elicit a response with strength equal to Rheobase is known as utilization time.
• Chronaxie : The minimum time required to excite a tissue when the current strength is twice a rheobase is called chronaxie.
5. Define isotonic and isometric contraction.
• Ans.: Isotonic contraction : Contraction of muscle is said to be isotonic when the tension generated in the muscle remains
constant throughout the contraction phase.
• Isometric contraction : Contraction of muscle is said to be isometric when the length of muscle remains constant throughout
the contraction phase.
 Spotting 2.

1. Identify the graph.

2. Define motor unit
3. State the difference between all or none law obeyed by cardiac muscle and skeletal
muscle?
4. Define Threshold (minimal) stimulus
• Questions and answers :
Q.1. Define motor unit.
• Ans.: Motor Unit :Each single motor neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates constitute a motor
unit.
Q.2. Define:
• a) Subthreshold (subminimal) stimulus; b) Threshold (minimal) stimulus; c) Submaximal
stimulus; d) Maximal stimulus; e) Supramaximal stimulus
• Ans.: a) Threshold (minimal) stimulus : Minimum strength of stimulus required to elicit a
response is called as threshold stimulus.
• b) Subthreshold (subminimal) stimulus: A stimulus whose strength is less than that
of threshold stimulus is called Subthreshold stimulus.
• c) Suprathreshold stimulus: A stimulus whose strength is more than that of
threshold stimulus is called suprathreshold stimulus.
• Maximal stimulus: The lowest strength of stimulus at which all motor units are set into activity is
called as maximal stimulus.
• Submaximal stimulus: A stimulus whose strength is less than that of maximal stimulus but more
than that of threshold stimulus is called submaximal stimulus.
• Supramaximal stimulus: A stimulus whose strength is more than that of maximal stimulus is called
Supramaximal stimulus.
Q.3. State the difference between all or none law obeyed by cardiac muscle and skeletal
muscle?
• Ans.: In skeletal muscle the all or none law is obeyed by the motor unit while in case of cardiac
muscle the law is obeyed by heart as whole because of syncytium.