STUDY GUIDE
Chapter 10
Know the major functions of the muscle tissue
The muscle tissues are responsible for maintaining body posture and support,
locomotion, generating heat.
Know isometric contractions
No body movement is necessary but energy is being produced. Ex: holding a book
up.
Know the sequence of structures that action potentials move through
Axon of neuron, sarcolemma, t tubules
Understand calcium release during muscle contraction
Ca is what binds to troponin. This then allows troponin to change shape and expose
the actin-myosin binding site.
Know the different regions of a sarcomere
A –band: middle area of a sarcomere where thick and thin filaments are found
I – band: contains only thin filaments
H –zone: contains only thick filaments
Z – disc: separates one sarcomere from another
M – line: supports proteins that hold thick filaments in H-zone
Understand the function of the different neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine: Widely used NT that is in charge of muscle contractions and the
excretions of certain hormones.
Dopamine: NT involved in controlling movement and posture.
GABA: An inhibitory NT that is in charge of motor control and vision.
Glutamate: NT that is in charge of learning and memory.
, Norepinephrine: Acts as a hormone that controls blood vessels contractions
meaning it has the ability to control heart rate. As a NT is responsible for emotions,
sleeping, dreaming and learning.
Know the function and location of trypomyosin and troponin
Tropomyosin – Regulatory protein that is a component of thin filament; when
skeletal muscle fiber is relaxed, tropomyosin covers myosin-binding sites on actin
molecules, thereby preventing myosin from binding to actin.
Troponin - Regulatory protein that is a component of thin filament; when calcium
ions (Ca2+) bind to troponin, it changes shape; this conformational change moves
tropomyosin away from myosin-binding sites on actin molecules, and muscle
contraction subsequently begins as myosin binds to actin.
Understand how myosin works
Myosin - Contractile protein that makes up thick filament; molecule consists of a
tail and two myosin heads, which bind to myosin-binding sites on actin molecules
of thin filament during muscle contraction.
Understand what happens at the synaptic cleft
Synaptic cleft - The neurons that are interconnected in the CNS communicate with
one another by releasing signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters at the small
gaps between two neurons (synaptic cleft)
Definitions: extensibility, epimysium, aponeurosis, myofibrils
Extensibility – the ability to continue to contract over a range of resting lengths
Epimysium – attachment site for nerves and blood vessels
Aponeurosis –sheet like tendon formed by combining of endomysium,
perimysium, and epimysium.
Myofibrils – basic rod like unit of muscle
Be able to compare and contrast the three different types of muscles in
DETAIL
Skeletal – Striated. Voluntary. Requires nervous system stimulation to contract.
This muscle type contains more actin and myosin in their sarcomeres as compared