Muscles Cells: Crash Course

Sara Poteat

1. Explain the role of Actin and Myosin myofilaments as related to muscle

function.
The interaction between the two protein strands of Actin and Myosin is what
causes all of our motions. Muscle function happens by the muscles contracting
and relaxing, which are both fueled by the constant coupling and separation of
Actin and Myosin.

2. What are the three types of muscle tissue and briefly describe each one
include the function of each type of muscle tissue.
The three types of muscle tissue are smooth, cardiac, and skeletal. Smooth
muscle tissue is found in the walls of our hollow visceral organs like our
stomach, airways, and blood vessels, and it involuntarily pushes fluid and other
material around by contracting and relaxing. Cardiac muscle tissue is found in
the heart and functions involuntarily to keep our blood pumping. Skeletal
muscle tissue is found in the muscles we can actually see, feel, and flex. These
are mostly voluntary, meaning we have to signal them to contract and this
usually causes a bodily movement.

3. What are the protein rules as related to muscle fibers?

1. Proteins like to change shape when stuff binds to them.
2. Changing shapes can allow proteins to bind or unbind with other stuff.

4. Name two things that muscles do for you that were mentioned in the
video.
1. Muscles convert chemical energy into motion or movement.
2. Cardiac muscles pump our blood without us having to think about it.

5. Muscles turn ______chemical potential____energy

into_____mechanical_____energy or movement, simply by doing two things,
______contracting______and ______relaxing______.

6. What type of muscle is striped, or striated and functions involuntarily to

pump blood without you having to think about it. ______cardiac________.
 7. These muscles are mostly voluntary. They are activated by your somatic
nervous system__________skeletal_____________.

8. Explain how muscles contract and relax, be specific.

When we want to move a body part or make a muscle contract, our brain sends
an action potential to the muscle cell which triggers channels to open and
release calcium. The calcium releases the “body guards” that were bound to the
Actin, and now the Myosin can take its ADP and bind to the Actin. When they
bind, the Myosin releases all of its stored energy and pulls on the Acton strand,
which shortens the length of the sarcomere and contracts the muscle. This is
the sliding phase of the Sliding Filament theory. The Myosin then changes
shape and releases from the Actin, which causes the muscle to relax. The
process continues over and over as we make bodily movements.

9. What is a sarcomere and what function does it serve?

Sarcomeres live inside the muscle fibers and they are what contain the
myofilaments Actin (thin) and Myosin (thick), which are the two strands of
protein needed to fuel every movement our bodies make. Sarcomeres are
separated by a Z line. Sarcomeres serve the function of shortening or
contracting when the muscle contracts.

10. Write a detailed reflection consisting of at least 2 paragraphs discussing

what you learned about muscles from this video that you did not know
before.
When we want to move a body part or make a muscle contract, our brain
sends an action potential to the muscle cell which triggers channels to open and
release calcium. The calcium releases the “body guards” that were bound to the
Actin, and now the Myosin can take its ADP and bind to the Actin. When they
bind, the Myosin releases all of its stored energy and pulls on the Acton strand,
which shortens the length of the sarcomere and contracts the muscle. This is
the sliding phase of the Sliding Filament theory. The Myosin then changes
shape and releases from the Actin, which causes the muscle to relax. The
process continues over and over as we make bodily movements.
The three types of muscle tissue are smooth, cardiac, and skeletal.
Smooth muscle tissue is found in the walls of our hollow visceral organs like
our stomach, airways, and blood vessels, and it involuntarily pushes fluid and
other material around by contracting and relaxing. Cardiac muscle tissue is
found in the heart and functions involuntarily to keep our blood pumping.
Skeletal muscle tissue is found in the muscles we can actually see, feel, and flex.
These are mostly voluntary, meaning we have to signal them to contract and
this usually causes a bodily movement.