B3 Tissue structure and function

KEY IDEA:
Muscle tissue has to become shorter during
contraction.

21. Sliding filament theory

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

You
LO1: MUST describe the types of muscle in the body
LO2: SHOULD describe and explain the structure of
muscle fibres
LO3: COULD explain the mechanism of muscle contraction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr1M4SaF1D4
Muscle structure

Myofibril fibres
are made from
proteins called
myofilaments
. They appear
as different
coloured
bands: Aband and Iband

The distance from one z-line

to the next is known as the

A-bands are
dArk
I-bands are

Calcium ions
control muscle
contraction.
Thesarcoplasmic
reticulumrelease
s calcium ions
during muscle
contraction and
absorbs them
There are two protein filaments found in during relaxation.

muscle cells. Thin filaments made of actin

and thick filaments made of myosin.
During muscle contraction, the thin actin
filaments move and overlap the thick
myosin filaments.
The sarcomere shortens, decreasing the size
of the overall muscle.

Task: Model muscle contraction using the

materials available.

When energy is released during

respiration it is stored in the bonds of a
molecule called ATP (adenosine
triphosphate). When the energy is
needed this ATP breaks down into ADP
(adenosine diphosphate )and a
phosphate molecule.
Rigor mortis (stiffening of the muscles
after death) sets in because energy is
needed at the point of return of the
myosin head.
After death there is no new ATP, so no
detachment of myosin, and so muscles
go into contraction and remain

Important molecules
Myoglobin is a protein found in the muscle cells of
animals. It functions as an oxygen-storage unit,
providing oxygen to the working muscles.
Glycogen is a readily mobilized storage form of
glucose in animals and fungi. Plants use starch
for storage.
The importance of carbohydrates as a fuel source
during endurance exercise has been known for 60
years.
With the advent of the muscle biopsy needle in the
1960s, it was determined that the major source of
carbohydrate during exercise was the muscle
glycogen stores.
The greater the muscle glycogen stores, the longer

Fast and slow twitch

muscle fibres.
Who has more of which
type?
Slow twitch fibres:
these contain more
myoglobin which stores
oxygen
more mitochondria so
more Adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) is made
more capillaries to deliver
oxygen
therefore, more aerobic
respiration takes place
so less lactic acid is

Fast twitch fibre:

these contain less
myoglobin, which
stores oxygen
fewer mitochondria,
so less ATP made
fewer capillaries to
deliver oxygen
therefore, more
anaerobic
respiration takes
place
so more lactic acid
made
so more muscle fatigue

1 = slow
twitch
2 = fast
twitch