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L3. Muscle Contraction Cycle - Sliding Filaments & Neurotransmission at NMJ

Muscle contraction occurs via the sliding filament model. [1] When an action potential reaches the neuromuscular junction, acetylcholine is released causing sodium channels to open and initiate another action potential in the muscle fiber. [2] This causes calcium to be released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum which binds to troponin, exposing actin binding sites for myosin. [3] Myosin heads hydrolyze ATP and attach to actin, pulling the thin filaments towards the center and shortening the sarcomere through the crossbridge cycling of myosin binding and force generation.

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Yolande Clothier
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84 views9 pages

L3. Muscle Contraction Cycle - Sliding Filaments & Neurotransmission at NMJ

Muscle contraction occurs via the sliding filament model. [1] When an action potential reaches the neuromuscular junction, acetylcholine is released causing sodium channels to open and initiate another action potential in the muscle fiber. [2] This causes calcium to be released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum which binds to troponin, exposing actin binding sites for myosin. [3] Myosin heads hydrolyze ATP and attach to actin, pulling the thin filaments towards the center and shortening the sarcomere through the crossbridge cycling of myosin binding and force generation.

Uploaded by

Yolande Clothier
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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L3.

Muscle Contraction Cycle -sliding filaments & Neurotransmission at NMJ

Sarcoplasmic Reticulum [SR]

• smooth ER found in muscle

• stores calcium ions: (released when fibre membrane is depolarised)


contractile filaments: muscle at rest

Myosin heads extend into space between the overlapping thin & thick filaments

Ca binds to Troponin  induces conformational change


 actin sites open for myosin interaction
sliding filament theory of contraction
• contraction = shortening of muscle fibres.

• fibre shorten when sarcomeres (series) shorten – distance between Z disks decreases.

• Sarcomeres shorten when actin & myosin filaments overlap even further

• Myofilaments keep their length!

actomyosin ATPase cycle:


- myosin head interacts with actin in presence of ATP
- thin filaments slide past thick filaments toward the center

- sliding of Actomyosin filaments –

 Using ATP for energy, myosin heads undergo a cycle during which they attach to actin, and then
perform a power stroke that causes the thin filaments to slide past, resulting in shortening the
muscle.
 For contraction, the myosin heads form crossbridge usually to two separate filaments & then
simultaneously “row" - sliding the actin filaments along. This results in shortening the actin bundle.
How do filaments slide between each other?
• Myosin head hydrolyses ATP  energy to pivot & attach to Actin  Crossbridge

• Myosin heads pull on actin - Power Stroke [shortens sarcomere]

• next, ADP & Pi are released

• Crossbridges detach  ATP attaches to myosin heads. Reset

attachment, detachment, re-attachment of crossbridges – ratchet mechanism

*Calcium regulates Troponin  expose sites on actin for myosin-binding

* if Ca reabsorbed | nerve stimulation withdrawn – troponin |tropomyosin prevents cross-bridge


formation & muscle relaxes

A. ATP bound to “back” of myosin head thus can’t bind Actin


B. ATP is hydrolysed, ADP & P remain bound. Myosin head swings to
“ready” position.
C+D Force generating: Pi leaves, myosin binds actin & “power
stroke” is performed. 
ADP is released to continue the cycle. 
Myosin crossbridge cycle

Transmission at the Neuro-Muscular Junction


Neuromuscular Junction

1. Axon terminal: high concentration voltage-activated Ca channels

• AP arrives at axon terminal - activates opening of Ca channels

• Ca moves into axon - activates vesicles with Ach to release contents into
synaptic cleft

2. Motor End Plate

• Acetylcholine(Ach) binds to chemical-gated Na channels on sarcolemma


(motor end plate)

• Na rushes in - sets up Action Potential in muscle fibre

• Ach detaches from receptor (ie Na channel) and is released into cleft where
Ach esterase will break it down
How does depolarisation of sarcolemma translate into contraction of sarcomere?

interconnectivity between sarcolemma, T-Tubules, SR and sarcomere


1-2. AP propagated along membrane & down T-tubule   

3. Ca released from SR via a voltage-gated Ca channel    

4. Ca binds Troponin Complex - opens myosin-binding sites on actin

5. ATP split favours myosin cross-bridges (cyclic attach-detach)

6. Sliding filaments cause sarcomeres to shorten - contract whole fibre. Many fibres
shortening cause entire muscle to contract  

  

Ca removed by Ca-pump (uptake by SR)

Tropomyosin blocks actin sites - muscle relaxes


- Tuesday 7th May 2013

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