Overview

Muscle Physiology
Summation, twitch vs. tetanus (p396,
425)
Fatigue (p392-393, 421-422)
Type of muscle fibers (p393-395, 422-424)
Length-tension relationship
Isometric vs. isotonic contractions

Cardiac Muscle
Smooth Muscle
1

Mechanical response of a muscle fiber

to a single action potential is known
as a twitch.

A maintained contraction in response to

repetitive stimulation is known as a tetanus

Fatigue
The decline in muscle
tension due to previous
contractile activity is called
fatigue.

Rest overcomes fatigue,

but fatigue will reoccur
sooner if recovery time
is inadequate.

Vanders Human Physiology, 13

th

edition

ultiple Causes of Fatigue

Figure 12.13 Muscle fatigue

Muscle fiber
Blood
Creatine phosphate

ADP + Pi

Myosin-ATPase

Ca2+-ATPase

Glucose

relaxation

ATP

Creatine
Glycogen

contraction

Amino acids
Oxidative
phosphorylation

Glycolysis
Lactic acid

Fatty acids

Oxygen
Fatty acids

Vanders Human Physiology, 13th edition

Proteins

Exercise and Muscle Soreness

FYI:

The production of lactate and other metabolites during

extreme exertion results in the burning sensation often felt in
active muscles.
Researchers who have examined lactate levels right after
exercise found little correlation with the level of muscle
soreness felt a few days later.
This delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS usually
reaches a peak 24 to 72 hours after the extreme exercise
event.
Up to six hypothesized theories have been proposed for the
mechanism of DOMS, namely: lactic acid, muscle spasm,
connective tissue damage, muscle damage, inflammation
and the enzyme efflux theories.
Exercise is the most effective means of alleviating pain
during DOMS.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-lactic-acid-b
uil
/

Figure 12.14-0 Fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles

Slow-Twitch Oxidative Muscle Fibers. Note smaller diameter, darker color due to myoglobin. Fatigue-resistant.

Capillaries

Mitochondria
Cross section of slow-twitch muscle fibers
(LM 170)
Fast-Twitch Glycolytic Muscle Fibers. Larger diameter, pale color. Easily fatigued.

Cross section of fast-twitch muscle fibers

(LM 170)

Fast twitch muscle fibers develop tension 2-3 times faster than slow
twitch fibers. The speed is determined by the isoform of myosin
ATPase.
Fast twitch muscle fibers rely on glycolysis to produce ATP. The
accumulation of H+ from ATP hydrolysis contributes to acidosis, which

Most skeletal muscles include all three types.

Slow-oxidative fiber (type 1)

responds well to repetitive
stimulation without becoming
fatigued; muscles of body
posture are examples.

Fast-oxidative-glycolytic fiber
(type 2A) responds quickly and
to repetitive stimulation without
becoming fatigued; muscles
used in walking are examples.
Fast-glycolytic fiber (typ 2X)
is used for quick bursts of
strong activation, such as
muscles used to jump or to
run a short sprint.
8

Overview
Muscle Physiology
Summation, twitch vs. tetanus
Fatigue
Type of muscle fibers
Length-tension relationship(p395-396,
423-425)
Isometric vs. isotonic contractions(p398400, 427-429)

Cardiac Muscle
Smooth Muscle
10

Tension (percent of maximum)

Figure 12.15 Length-tension relationships

100
80
60
40
20
0

1.3 m

2.0 m 2.3 m

Decreased
length

Optimal
resting length

3.7 m

Adapted from A.M. Gordon et al., J Physiol 184:

170192, 1966.

Increased
length

Sarcomeres contract with maximal force if it at optimal length

(neither too long nor too short) before the contraction begins.
The tension generated by a muscle fiber is directly proportional to the
number of crossbridges formed between the thick and thin filaments.

Contraction Force
Motor unit: group of muscle fibers that
function together and the somatic motor
neuron that controls them
Recruitment of additional motor units by
the nervous system increases
contraction force.
Asynchronous recruitment of motor
units helps avoid fatigue
Different motor units take turns maintaining
tension
12

Figure 12.17 Motor units

A single motor unit consists of one motor

neuron and all the muscle fibers it controls.
One muscle may have
many motor units of
different fiber types.

SPINAL CORD

Neuron 1
Neuron 2
Neuron 3
Motor
nerve
KEY
Motor unit 1

Muscle
fibers

Motor unit 2
Motor unit 3

iso = same
sometric vs. Isotonic

nders Human Physiology, 13th edition

tonic = tension
= length

metric

Tension increases
rapidly and
dissipates slowly.
No shortening of
sarcomeres.

Shortening occurs
slowly, only after
taking up elastic
tension; the relaxing
muscle quickly
returns to its resting
length.
The latent period corresponds to the time it takes to
14
accumulate enough attached cross-bridges to lift the load.

Figure 12.18

15

Figure 12.19

16
see more about Hill's muscle model in biomechanics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill%27s_muscle_model

Overview
Muscle Physiology
Cardiac Muscle (pp447-452, 481485)
Smooth Muscle

17

Cellular Structure of Cardiac

Muscle

Cardiac muscle cells

generally contain a single
nucleus.
Adjacent cardiac muscles
cells are joined at
intercalated disks,
which contain
desmosomes and gap
junctions.

18

Slide 7

Figure 14.9 EC coupling in cardiac muscle

Ca

Action potential enters

from adjacent cell.

ECF
Voltage-gated Ca2
channels open. Ca2
enters cell.

ICF
RyR

SR

Ca2

Ca2 sparks

L-type
Ca2
channel

T-tubule

Sarcoplasmic reticulum
(SR)

Ca2 stores

Ca2 induces Ca2 release

through ryanodine
receptor-channels (RyR).
Local release causes
Ca2 spark.
Summed Ca2 sparks
create a Ca2 signal.
Ca2 ions bind to troponin
to initiate contraction.

Ca2 signal

Contraction

Two sources of Ca2+:

1. Influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channel on cell membrane.
2. An isoform of ryanodine receptor in cardiac muscle that
allows calcium-induced calcium release.

Figure 14.9 EC coupling in cardiac muscle

Ca

3 Na

2K

ECF

ATP
ICF

NCX

3 Na
RyR

SR

Ca2

L-type
Ca2
channel

Ca

Action potential enters

from adjacent cell.

Voltage-gated Ca2
channels open. Ca2
enters cell.

Ca2

Ca2 induces Ca2 release

through ryanodine
receptor-channels (RyR).

Sarcoplasmic reticulum
(SR)

Local release causes

Ca2 spark.

Ca2 stores
ATP

Ca2 sparks

Summed Ca2 sparks

create a Ca2 signal.

T-tubule

Ca2 ions bind to troponin

to initiate contraction.

Ca2 signal

Ca2

Relaxation occurs when

Ca2 unbinds from troponin.

Ca2
Actin

Ca2 is pumped back

into the sarcoplasmic
reticulum for storage.

Contraction

Relaxation

Myosin

Ca2 is exchanged with

Na by the NCX antiporter.

CaFIGUREremoval:
QUESTION
1. Ca2+ is pump into SR.
2. transported by Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, Na+ removed by
Na+/K+ ATPase.
2+

Using the numbered steps, compare the events shown to EC

coupling in skeletal and smooth muscle [see Figs.12.10 and 12.26].

Na gradient is maintained
by the Na-K-ATPase.

Types of Ca2+ channels

L type: long-lasting

T-type: transient opening

N-type: neural, presynaptic,
R-type: resistant blockers and toxins
P-type: cerebellar Purkinje cells
Q-type: cerebellar granule cells
21

Slide 1

Figure 14.10 Action potential of a cardiac contractile cell

20
Membrane potential (mV)

PX Permeability to ion X

PNa

PK and

PCa

0
20
PK and PCa

40
60

PNa

80
100
0

100
200
Time (msec)

Phase*

Membrane channels

300

Na channels open
Na channels close
Ca2 channels open; fast K channels close
Ca2 channels close; slow K channels open
Resting potential
*The phase numbers are a convention.
FIGURE QUESTION
Compare ion movement during this action
potential to ion movement of a neurons
action potential [Fig. 8.9].

Membrane potential (mV)

Skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle fiber action potential

Muscle tension

90

100

200

300

Time (msec)
Cardiac muscle

Membrane potential (mV)

Cardiac muscle cell action potential

0

Muscle tension

Refractory
period

90

100

200

300

Time (msec)
Vanders Human Physiology, 13th edition

Figure 14.20

Increasing stretch on a cardiac muscle increases its force of contraction.

In both skeletal muscles and cardiac muscles, the force of contraction is
affected by the sarcomere length at the beginning of contraction. This effect
is more significant in cardiac muscle.
24

Overview
Muscle Physiology
Cardiac Muscle
Smooth Muscle (pp403-409, 432438)
Structure of smooth muscle
Contraction of smooth muscle
25

Smooth Muscle Classification

Smooth muscles in the body have functional
variability. They are different
by location
Vascular, gastrointestinal, urinary, respiratory,
reproductive, ocular

by contraction pattern
Phasic (periodic contraction) vs. tonic
(continuous contraction) smooth muscles

by communication with neighboring cells

Single-unit or visceral smooth muscle vs. multiunit smooth muscle
26

Contraction Patterns of Smooth Muscles

Figure 12.22

27

Single-unit vs. Multi-unit Smooth Muscles

Figure 12.23

28

Figure 12.24 Duration of muscle twitch in the three types of muscle

Structure of Smooth Muscle

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) are spindle-shaped
with a single nucleus and have the capacity to
divide throughout the life of an individual.
The contractile fibers are not arranged in
sarcomeres not striated.
The thin filaments are anchored either to the
plasma membrane or to cytoplasmic structures
known as dense bodies.
Smooth muscle cells have thick myosincontaining filaments and thin actin-containing
filaments, and tropomyosin but no troponin.
30

Figure 12.25

Ca2+ plays major regulatory

roles in the contraction of both
smooth and skeletal muscle,
but the Ca2+ that enters the
cytosol of stimulated smooth
muscles binds to calmodulin,
forming a complex that
activates the myosin light
chain kinase (MLCK) that
phosphorylates myosin,
permitting its binding
interactions with actin.
Active myosin catalyzes the
hydrolysis of ATP and creates
tension.
Figure 12.26

32

Ca2+ is removed by Na+/ Ca2+

exchanger and pumped back in
SR.
Myosin phosphatase removes
phosphate from myosin,
decreases myosin ATPase
activity, and decreases muscle
tension.

Figure 12.26

33

Contraction of Smooth Muscle

The thick and thin filaments are not organized
into myofibrils, and there are NO sarcomeres,
which accounts for the absence of a banding
pattern.
Smooth muscle contraction occurs by a slidingfilament mechanism.
[Ca2+ ] increase from extracellular fluid and
SR.
Ca2+ binds to calmodulin.
Multiple hormones affect the
contraction/relaxation of smooth muscles.
34

rmonal Regulation of Smooth Muscle Contract

http://advan.physiology.org/content/27/4/201

35

Spontaneous Electrical Activity

Some types of smooth muscle cells generate action

potentials spontaneously in the absence of any neural or
hormonal input.
Found in some smooth muscles and cardiac muscle, the
membrane potential change occurring during the
spontaneous depolarization to threshold is known as a
pacemaker potential.
Pacemaker cells are found throughout the
gastrointestinal tract, and thus gut smooth muscle
tends to contract rhythmically even in the absence of
neural input.

36

Slow Waves
In other smooth
muscles, the
membrane potential
drifts up and down due
to regular variation of
ion influx across the
membrane. These
periodic fluctuations
are called slow waves.

Excitatory stimulus applied

Slows waves regulate

smooth muscle activity.
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Human Physiology, Silverthorn, 7th

edition, 2015

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Vanders Human Physiology, 11

th

39
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Vanders Human Physiology, 11

th

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Vanders Human Physiology, 11

th

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