Chapter 10, Problem 10.2a
How does a skeletal muscle fiber differ structurally from typical cells?
Video transcript
What is thought to cause excess postexercise oxygen consumption?
List some of the functions of smooth muscle tissue.
Which of the following best describes single-unit smooth muscle tissue?
a. The fibers function individually.
b. It is found in organs that require precise control of contraction.
c. It contains gap junctions that couple the fibers electrically.
d. The amount of tension produced varies with the number of muscle cells recruited.
Some athletes will consume only protein for several days before a competition, which reduces the amount of glycogen in both the muscle fibers and the liver. What effect would this have on their ability to perform activities that require short, powerful bursts of activity? How would it affect their ability to perform endurance activities?
Mark the following statements as true for smooth muscle tissue, cardiac muscle tissue, and/or skeletal muscle tissue.
a. ____Actin attaches to dense bodies.
b. ____Cells are joined by intercalated discs.
c. ____The thick and thin filaments are arranged into sarcomeres.
d. ____The thick filaments contain myosin heads along their entire length.
e. ____The cells depolarize and contract as a unit.
f. ____ Ca2+ binding to troponin is the initiating event of contraction.
g. ____Ca2+ binding to calmodulin is the initiating event of contraction.
h. ____The sarcolemma has a distinct motor end plate.
Ms. Sanchez was in a motorcycle accident in which she lost the use of her right upper limb muscles due to significant nerve damage. However, when an electrode is inserted into her muscles, they are able to contract. Explain specifically why nerve damage caused her to lose the use of her muscles. Why can they still respond to stimulation from an electrode?