Monday, 2 November 2015

Muscle: Structure and function - Louise Parr-Brownlie

HUBS
Describe gross and microscopic structure of skeletal muscle tissue. Gross
muscle is covered in the fascia, then the epimysium. Fascicles (groups of muscle fibres)
are covered by the perimysium, muscle fibres are covered by endomysium. Muscle
fibres are made up of multiple myofibrils, which are made up of multiple myofilaments.
Underneath the endomysium of the muscle fibre is the sarcolemma, underneath this is
the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which covers the myofibrils. The t-tubules are extensions of
the sarcolemma, perpendicular to the length of the fibre. The epi, peri, and
endomysiums are all there to fill the gap of the (normally) roundish muscle fibres. The
muscle fibre is made up of many myofibrils, which have z-disks (anchoring proteins)
periodically along them.
Understand how differences in the form of skeletal muscle can affect its
function. The power of contraction of skeletal muscles is affected by four things - the
interdigitation of the myofilaments, arrangement of muscle fibres, the crosssectional
area, and the length of the muscle fibres. If we increase the interdigitation too much, we
get very weak initial contraction as there are very few attachment sites the myosin can
grab on to, until a decent amount can be reached. Cross-sectional area is influenced by
the number of muscle fibres. So we can increase the number of muscle fibres in a
specific area by using a pennate (or bipennate, multipennate) arrangements. This
increases the number of myocytes in a specified area, but on average decreases their
length. This means that whilst we are getting stronger contractions, we are sacrificing
ROM. Also, because the contractile length of muscle fibres is relative to their resting
length, the shorter a muscle is, the
less it can contract. i.e. the shorter
the tendon, the more powerful the
muscle.
Understand the relationship
between skeletal muscle tone
and posture. Contractions do not
produce a net movement, but
rather to help stabilise the body
and keep muscles firm and
healthy. Nerve impulses are
innervating them, which helps
maintain posture.

Monday, 2 November 2015

Functions of skeletal muscle:

1. Movement
2. Heat production - core is the hottest but can change BP to maintain/ conserve heat
3. Posture - maintain posture of body
4. Communication - sign language, gestures etc.
Epi = outside
Peri = around
Endo = inside
Myo = prefix for muscle (latin)
Sarco = prefix for muscle (greek)
Skeletal muscles generate tension/ force. Under voluntary control (smooth and cardiac
muscles function all the time).

- Fascia: Connective tissue which divides muscles into groups of gross muscle
(connective tissue continues into the muscle)

- fascicle: group of muscle fibres

- epimysium = connective tissue covering whole gross muscle - joins muscle to tendo.
Fascicle is wrapped by perimysium (many fibres) and each muscle fibre is wrapped in
endomysium.

- muscle fibre arrangement is very ordered.

- myocyte = muscle cell = fibre
- myofibril = little muscle fibre (small version) each myocyte has individual myofibrils which are
divided into myofilaments. Myofilaments create
striations.

- one muscle fibre has more than one nucleus bc.

started with one myocyte but it fused with
another, each keeping its own nucleus.

- myofilaments are in the sarcomere. Have thick

(myosine) and thin (actin) proteins

- sarcomere = protein arrangement.

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Monday, 2 November 2015

Sarcomere = contractile unit, 2micro m, end on end along myofibril length. Z lines are
the boundaries of the sarcomere. Link actin filaments.
In muscle, plasma membrane = sarcolemma (has phospholipid bilayer). Just underneath
is the sarcoplasmic reticulum (different to ER bc stores Ca2+ which is the trigger for
muscle contraction).
Thick filament (myosin) has heads which bind onto thin (actin). Heads come up and
attach to thin. Heads flex, Z lines get closer, then heads detach and process repeats.
Sarcomere shortens by degree of overlap of actin and myosin (muscle contraction) Ca2+ ions are essential. Process consumes energy (E). Can shorten to half the original
length. Actin and myosin never change lengths, they just overlap, its the Z lines which
become closer in a contraction.
Muscle form determines function: depends on:
1. Length of muscle fibres: fibre can shorten up to 50% of resting length. If want larger
ROM, need long muscle fibre (if has longer resting length, can shorten more). Length
is parallel to line of pull)
2. Number of muscle fibres: tension is directly proportional to cross sectional area
(more area means more muscle fibres so more CSA and more tension)
3. Arrangement of muscle fibres: fibres can be parallel with tendon or oblique
(pennate), at an angle. When pennate, more muscle fibres, more CSA, sacrificing
ROM.
Posture: even relaxed muscle are slightly active.This means we have nerve impulses
activating them. No net movement but keeps muscle firm and healthy and stabilises
joints and maintains posture.