Physiology

BA in Physical Education
Autumn start
Blended learning
 Muscular system
Topic to-do list
Be able to:
✔List the functions and properties of the muscular system
✔ Differentiate between and describe the muscle types
✔ Differentiate between ligaments and tendons
✔ Describe muscle structure
✔ Explain sliding filament theory
✔ Explain the role of actin, myosin, tropomyosin and troponin in
muscle contraction
✔ Explain the role of the nervous system in muscular contraction, and
the factors that affect muscle contraction
✔ Differentiate between muscle fibre types
✔ Discuss the response of the muscular system to exercise

4
What is the muscular
system?
The muscular system consists of all the
muscles of the body. These make up
approximately 42% of total body
weight, and are composed of long,
slender cells known as fibers. The fibers
are different lengths and vary in color
from white to deep red.
Muscular System Functions
• Body movement
• Maintenance of posture
• Respiration
• Production of body heat
• Communication
• Constriction of organs and vessels
• Heart beat
 Muscle Tissue Types
• Skeletal
• Attached to bones
• Nuclei multiple and peripherally located
• Each muscle consists of a group of fibers held together by
connective tissue, and enclosed in a fibrous sheath or fascia
• Striated, Voluntary and involuntary (reflexes)
• Smooth
• Walls of hollow organs, blood vessels, eye, glands, skin
• Single nucleus centrally located
• Not striated, involuntary
• Cardiac- In the heart only.
• Single nucleus centrally located
• Striations, involuntary
Properties of Muscle
• Contractility
• Ability of a muscle to shorten with force
• It DOES NOT produce force by lengthening/pushing!
• Excitability
• Capacity of muscle to respond to a stimulus
• Extensibility
• Muscle can be stretched to its normal resting length
and beyond to a limited degree
• Elasticity
• Ability of muscle to recoil to original resting length after
stretched
Skeletal Muscle
• Long cylindrical cells
• Many nuclei per cell
• Striated
• Voluntary
• Rapid contractions
Parts of a muscle
• Body – the main portion

• Origin – the fixed attachment

• Insertion - the point of attachment

to the part of the body moved by
this muscle

In this picture, the origin of the

muscle is the scapula attachment; a
tendon provides the insertion on the
ulna and radius bones.
 Ligament: Strong fibrous
slightly elastic tissues that
connect bone to bone.

Tendon: Strong, flexible,

inelastic fibres that connect
muscle to bone
Skeletal Muscle Structure
The structure of muscle
•The diagram illustrates the complex
structure of skeletal muscles.
• Each muscle is made up of many
bundles of muscle fibres which in turn
are made up of even smaller fibres
known as myofibrils.
•Myofibrils consist of two protein
filaments known as myosin and actin
which make up a sarcomere (the
contractile unit of the muscle).
•The myosin filament is a thick protein
strand with cross-bridge projections and
the actin filament is a thin protein
strand.
Remember: sarcomere the contractile unit of the muscle

Z Line The Z line is the join between 2

sarcomeres. During muscle
contraction these lines move closer
together
A band This is the area where the myosin is.
This does not change in length during
the contraction

H Zone This is the area within the A-band where

there is myosin only. This appears dark
under a microscope. During contraction
this band shortens and disappears as the
actin filaments overlap each other

I Band This is the area containing actin

only. This appears light under the
microscope. This shortens during
contraction
The sliding filament theory was put forward by Huxley in
1969 to explain how a muscle alters it length.

During contraction, the actin and myosin filaments slide

over each other; this brings about an overall shortening
of the sarcomere.

The muscle fibre is made up of many sarcomeres

attached in a chain; the shortening of each sarcomere
gives the overall shortening of the muscle fibre and
therefore the muscle.
 Contractile proteins
•Actin
Muscle •Myosin

proteins
Regulatory proteins
•Tropomyosin
•Troponin
Contractile proteins
Contractile Proteins (actin and myosin). Actin = thin, myosin = thick.

Thick myosin filaments and thin actin filaments work together

to generate muscle contractions and movement
 Tropomyosin: Prevents actin–myosin interaction.
Tropomyosin is the major part of the thin
filament (actin filament) in skeletal muscles.
Its role is to control or regulate muscle
relaxation and contraction. It mainly serves
the role of muscle contraction inhibitor by
Regulatory blocking the myosin-binding sites on actin
filaments thereby, preventing muscle
proteins contraction.

Troponin: Calcium binds with troponin to move

tropomyosin and expose the binding sites.
This will allow muscle contraction to happen
actin
actin troponin
 tropomyosin

actin troponin
 tropomyosin

actin troponin
myosin binding site
tropomyosin

actin troponin
C C C
C a
a a a 2
2 2
2
+
+ +
+
 C C C
C a
a a a 2
2 2
2
+
+ +
+

Calcium ions are stimulated to be released

 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+

the calcium ions bind to the troponin and changes its shape
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+

the calcium ions bind to the troponin and changes its shape
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+

the troponin displaces the tropomyosin and exposes the

myosin binding sites
 Myosin

Myosin Head

C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+

the bulbous heads of the myosin attach to the binding

sites on the actin filaments
 C C
C a C
a a 2
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
+
C C
a a C
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+
 C C
a a C
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+

the myosin heads change position and slide the actin

filaments past the stationary myosin
 C C
a a C
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+

P P P P P P P P P
A A A
i i i
i i i i i i
 P P P
A
i i i

C C
a P P P C
P P P a A
A 2 i i i a
i i i 2
+ 2
+
+
 P P P
A
i i i

C C
a P P P C
P P P a A
A 2 i i i a
i i i 2
+ 2
+
+

ATP binds to the bulbous heads and causes it to become

detached
 P P P
A
i i i

P P P
P P P A
A
i i i
C C i i i

a a C
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+

ATP binds to the bulbous heads and causes it to become

detached
 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A
i i
C C i i

a a C
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+

hydrolysis of ATP provides the energy to “reset” the heads

 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A
i i
C C i i

a a C
2
2 a
+ 2
+
+

hydrolysis of ATP provides the energy to “reset” the heads

 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A i i
i i

C C C
a a a
2 2
2
+ +
+
 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A i i
i i

C C C
a a a
2 2
2
+ +
+

calcium ions are re-absorbed back into the body

 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A i i
i i
 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A i i
i i

the troponin reverts to its normal shape and the tropomyosin

move back to block the myosin binding sites
 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A i i
i i

the troponin reverts to its normal shape and the tropomyosin

move back to block the myosin binding sites
 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A i i
i i

the troponin reverts to its normal shape and the tropomyosin

move back to block the myosin binding sites
 P
i P P
A
i i
P P
i i P P
P P A
A i i
i i

phosphocreatine regenerates ATP

 P P P
A
i i i
P
P P P
i P P A
A i i i
i i

phosphocreatine regenerates ATP

 P P P
A
i i i

P P P
P P P A
A i i i
i i i

phosphocreatine regenerates ATP

What makes the filaments slide past each
other?
• Energy for the movement comes from splitting ATP
• ATPase that does this is located in the myosin heads.
• The energy from the ATP causes the angle of the
myosin head to change.
• The myosin heads can attach to actin.
• Movement of the myosin heads and them attaching
and detaching from actin causes the filaments to slide
relative to one another.
• This movement reduces the sarcomere length.
Contraction cycle

• Exposure of active sites (troponin regulates this)

• Formation of cross-bridges (myosin head attaches to actin filament)
• Pivoting of myosin heads
• Detachment of cross-bridges (ATP causes this detachment)
• Reactivation of myosin
Mechanism of muscle contraction
Calcium binds with troponin to move tropomyosin and expose the
binding sites.

Myosin heads attach to the binding sites of the actin filament and create
a power stroke.

ATP detaches the myosin heads and energizes them for another
contraction.
 Amoeba sisters - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpxalWACO7k
 Muscular system
Topic to-do list
Be able to:
✔List the functions and properties of the muscular system
✔ Differentiate between and describe the muscle types
✔ Differentiate between ligaments and tendons
✔ Describe muscle structure
✔ Explain sliding filament theory
✔ Explain the role of actin, myosin, tropomyosin and troponin in
muscle contraction
✔ Explain the role of the nervous system in muscular contraction, and
the factors that affect muscle contraction
✔ Differentiate between muscle fibre types
✔ Discuss the response of the muscular system to exercise

62
Muscular contraction
• Muscular contraction involves the
interaction of muscles with the
nervous system. An electrical
impulse is sent from the brain to
the muscles via the spinal cord
and nerve cells (motor neurons).
Muscle fibres within the muscle
contract according to the ‘all or
nothing’ principle. That is, when
they contract, they all contract
maximally or not at all.
Collectively, the motor nerve and
the muscle fibres it innervates is
known as a motor unit.
The two factors which affect the force of a contraction are the number of
motor units activated and the frequency of the nerve impulses.

1. Number of muscle units activated.

When a muscle contracts not all of the motor units will be activated. If
the intensity of exercise increases, then more units will be activated
enabling more muscle fibres to be recruited.

2. Frequency of stimulation.
If the fibres contract in quick succession, then they can exert greater
forces.
 Muscle fibre types
Type 1 fibres (slow twitch)
Type 1 fibres are also referred to as slow twitch fibres as they are best suited to producing lower levels of speed and power.
However, they can maintain this for prolonged periods of time withstanding the onset of fatigue.

Type 2b fibres (fast twitch)

These are the opposite to type 1 fibres; they can contract quickly and forcefully but have a poor endurance capacity.

Type 2a fibres (fast twitch)

These fibres are situated somewhere between type 1 and type 2b fibres. They have a more even mix of both power and
endurance capacities.
• Muscles tend to be composed of both types of fibres, although the
amounts may vary from muscle to muscle and from person to person.
Top endurance athletes have a greater proportion of slow twitch
fibres whereas sprinters and power athletes have more fast twitch
fibres. Team sports players often have more type 2a fibres as they
require both power and endurance capabilities.
•Fibre types are genetically determined at birth and cannot be changed.
However, recent research has shown that training can lead to small
changes in the fibres types characteristics.
 Fast twitch (2a)
Slow twitch (1) Fast twitch (2b)

Speed of contraction slow fast fast

Fatigue rate low medium high

Force of contraction low high high

Size small large large

Myoglobin content high medium low

Aerobic capacity high medium low

Anaerobic capacity low medium high

Capillary density high high low

Colour red white white

Typical sports marathon runner games player sprinter

Response to exercise
Short term effects of exercise on the muscular system
∙ There is an increase in muscular temperature and metabolic activity
∙ As the muscles become warmer through activity, they become more pliable which reduces the risk of
injury. However, muscles can also be damaged during exercise e.g. muscle strain

Long term effects of exercise on the muscular system

∙ Muscle bulk and size will increase. The increased size of the muscle tissue is called hypertrophy
∙ Tendons will become thicker and stronger helping to decrease the risk of injury
∙ The heart muscle will also increase in size (particularly that of the left ventricle) leading to a more
forceful contraction
∙ There is an increase in the thickness of articular cartilage thus improving shock absorption
∙ There is an increase in muscle tone and possibly a reduction in body fat

All of these effects only occur if regular exercise is maintained. If the exercise is stopped for a period of
time, then the training effects will be lost – what principal of training is at play here?
 Muscular system
Topic to-do list
Be able to:
✔List the functions and properties of the muscular system
✔ Differentiate between and describe the muscle types
✔ Differentiate between ligaments and tendons
✔ Describe muscle structure
✔ Explain sliding filament theory
✔ Explain the role of actin, myosin, tropomyosin and troponin in
muscle contraction
✔ Explain the role of the nervous system in muscular contraction, and
the factors that affect muscle contraction
✔ Differentiate between muscle fibre types
✔ Discuss the response of the muscular system to exercise

69
For next time

250 words (max!) on delayed onset muscle

soreness (DOMS)

What is it?
Why does it occur?
How might you treat it?