JAYSON C.

POLINAR BSED-SCIENCE III

BOBMIL FLORES BIOLOGY 5: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Chapter 10 : Muscular Tissue

CHECKPOINTS

1. What features distinguish the three types of muscular tissue?

 Skeletal muscle tissue- found attached to bones. Skeletal muscle tissue is
striated: Alternating light and dark protein bands (striations) are seen when
the tissue is examined with a microscope. Skeletal muscle tissue works
mainly in a voluntary manner. Most skeletal muscles also are controlled
subconsciously to some extent.
 Cardiac muscle tissue- only found in the heart. Its fibers are longer than
they are wide, and they are striated, like skeletal muscle fibers. But, unlike
skeletal muscle fibers, cardiac muscle fibers have distinct ends to them,
called intercalated discs. These are dark lines that run from one side of the
fiber to the other. Its action is involuntary. The alternating contraction and
relaxation of the heart is not consciously controlled.
 Smooth muscle tissue- found in the walls of internal organs, such as the
organs of the digestive tract, blood vessels, and others. It consists of
mononucleate fibers with tapered edges. No striations are visible in smooth
muscle under the microscope. The action of smooth muscle is usually
involuntary.

2. List the general functions of muscular tissue.

 Muscle tissue performs four important activities through continuous
contraction or alternating contraction and relaxation: creating bodily
movements, stabilizing body positions, storing and transferring substances
throughout the body, and generating heat.

3. Describe the four properties of muscular tissue.

 Electrical excitability- is the ability to respond to certain stimuli by
producing electrical signals called action potentials (impulses)
 Contractility- ability of muscular tissue to contract forcefully when
stimulated by an action potential.
 Extensibility- ability of muscular tissue to stretch, within limits, without
being damaged.
 Elasticity- ability of muscular tissue to return to its original length and
shape after contraction or extension.

4. What types of fascia cover skeletal muscles?

The types of fascia that cover skeletal muscles are:
 Epimysium- The outermost layer of dense, irregular connective tissue,
encircling the entire muscle.
  Perimysium- a layer of dense, irregular connective tissue, surrounding
groups of 10 to 100 or more muscle fibers, separating them into bundles
called fascicles.
 Endomysium- mostly reticular fibers that penetrates the interior of each
fascicle and separates individual muscle fibers from one another.

5. Why is a rich blood supply important for muscle contraction?

 To support its metabolic and contractile processes, contracting muscle
requires a substantial amount of oxygen to restore ATP that is hydrolyzed
during contraction. Rich blood supply brings in oxygen and nutrients and
remove heat and the waste products of muscle metabolism. Especially
during contraction, a muscle fiber synthesizes and uses considerable ATP
(adenosine triphosphate). These reactions require oxygen, glucose, fatty
acids, and other substances that are delivered to the muscle fiber in the
blood.

6. How are the structures of thin and thick filaments different?

 Thin filaments - are 8 nm in diameter and 1–2 m long and composed
mostly of the protein actin.
 Thick filaments - are 16 nm in diameter and 1–2 m long and composed
mostly of the protein myosin.

7. What roles do contractile, regulatory, and structural proteins play in

muscle contraction and relaxation?
 Contractile proteins- generate force during contraction
 Regulatory proteins- help switch the contraction process on and off
 Structural proteins - keep the thick and thin filaments in the proper
alignment, give the myofibril elasticity and extensibility, and link the
myofibrils to the sarcolemma and extracellular matrix.

8. How do calcium ions and ATP contribute to muscle contraction and

relaxation?
 The release of calcium ions triggers the immediate regeneration of creatine
phosphate to power the contraction. It binds to the troponin complex,
causing tropomyosin bound along the actin strands to shift position and
expose the myosin binding sites on the thin filament. During relaxation, the
level of Calcium ion in the sarcoplasm is low, only 0.1 M (0.0001 mM),
because calcium ions are pumped into the sarcoplasmic reticulum by Ca2+
active transport pumps. A muscle action potential propagating along a
transverse tubule opens Ca2+ release channels in the sarcoplasmic
reticulum, calcium ions flow into the cytosol, and contraction begins. ATP is
responsible for cocking (pulling back) the myosin head, ready for another
cycle. When it binds to the myosin head, it causes the cross bridge between
actin and myosin to detach. ATP then provides the energy to pull the myosin
back, by hydrolysing to ADP + Pi. ATP binds to myosin causing it to change
position and attach to actin and pull, causing muscles to contract. The
contraction cycle repeats as the myosin ATPase hydrolyzes the newly bound
molecule of ATP, and continues as long as ATP is available and the Ca2+ level
near the thin filament is sufficiently high.
9. How does sarcomere length influence the maximum tension that is possible
during muscle contraction?
 The forcefulness of muscle contraction depends on the length of the
sarcomeres within a muscle before contraction begins. As the sarcomeres of
a muscle fiber are stretched to a longer length, the zone of overlap shortens,
and fewer myosin heads can make contact with thin filaments. Therefore,
the tension the fiber can produce decreases. When a skeletal muscle fiber is
stretched to 170% of its optimal length, there is no overlap between the thick
and thin filaments. Because none of the myosin heads can bind to thin
filaments, the muscle fiber cannot contract, and tension is zero. As
sarcomere lengths become increasingly shorter than the optimum, the
tension that can develop again decreases.

10. How is the motor end plate different from other parts of the sarcolemma?
 The region of the sarcolemma opposite the synaptic end bulbs, called the
motor end plate is the muscle fiber part of the NMJ. Within each motor end
plate consist of 30 million to 40 million acetylcholine receptors, integral
transmembrane proteins to which ACh specifically binds. The motor
endplate is the only specific part of the sarcolemma that contains
acetylcholine (ACH) receptors and helps form the neuromuscular junction
(the region of the muscle cell where a motor neuron stimulates the cell to
contract).

11. Which ATP-producing reactions are aerobic and which are anaerobic?
 The ATP- producing reactions includes from Creatine phosphate, which is an
aerobic cellular respiration that formed from ATP while the muscle is
relaxed, transfers a high-energy phosphate group to ADP, forming ATP,
during muscle contraction. The Breakdown of muscle glycogen into glucose
and production of pyruvic acid from glucose via glycolysis produces both
ATP and lactic acid. This requires no oxygen, so this is an anaerobic
pathway. Within mitochondria, pyruvic acid, fatty acids, and amino acids are
used to produce ATP via aerobic cellular respiration, an oxygen-requiring set
of reactions.

12. Which sources provide ATP during a marathon race?

 Muscle glycogen is one of the primary fuel source for marathoners/runners,
it provides approximately 2 hours of energy. Performance will decline before
muscle glycogen stores are truly depleted. The ATP-CP Running Energy
(creatine phosphate) is another high energy molecule source where the
phosphate can be broken off very quickly, so releasing energy and used to
convert ADP back to ATP. The muscles don’t have a large store of CP so it’s
used up fast, hence why some athletes use creatine supplements to
maximise their muscle stores. The Aerobic Running Energy also provides an
endurance system that is about how long you can keep going and depends
on how fit you are. This system is the slow aerobic and uses oxygen. The
breakdown of glucose for energy provides a massive 38 molecules of ATP —
nearly 20 times more than the anaerobic system. The aerobic system can
also use fat to produce ATP energy which is used for most athletes/runners.
13. What factors contribute to muscle fatigue?
 Fatigue results mainly from changes within muscle fibers. Factors that
contribute to muscle fatigue include inadequate release of calcium ions from
the SR, resulting in a decline of Ca2+ concentration in the sarcoplasm.
Depletion of creatine phosphate also is associated with fatigue, but
surprisingly, the ATP levels in fatigued muscle often are not much lower
than those in resting muscle. Other factors that contribute to muscle fatigue
also include insufficient oxygen, depletion of glycogen and other nutrients,
build-up of lactic acid and ADP, and failure of action potentials in the motor
neuron to release enough acetylcholine

14. Why is the term recovery oxygen uptake more accurate than oxygen debt?
 Recovery oxygen uptake is a better term than oxygen debt for the elevated
use of oxygen after exercise. First reason is, the elevated body temperature
after strenuous exercise increases the rate of chemical reactions throughout
the body. Faster reactions use ATP more rapidly, and more oxygen is needed
to produce the ATP. Second, the heart and the muscles used in breathing
are still working harder than they were at rest, and thus they consume more
ATP. Third, tissue repair processes are occurring at an increased pace.

15. How are the sizes of motor units related to the degree of muscular control
they allow?
 Whole muscles that control precise movements consist of many small motor
units. Because all the muscle fibers of a motor unit contract and relax
together, the total strength of a contraction depends, in part, on the size of
the motor units and the number that are activated at a given time. For
instance, muscles of the larynx (voice box) that control voice production has
as few as two or three muscle fibers per motor unit, and muscles controlling
eye movements may have 10 to 20 muscle fibers per motor unit. In contrast,
skeletal muscles responsible for large-scale and powerful movements, such
as the biceps brachii muscle in the arm and the gastrocnemius muscle in
the calf of the leg, have as many as 2000 to 3000 muscle fibers in some
motor units.

16. What is motor unit recruitment?

 Motor unit recruitment is the process in which the number of active motor
units increases. This pattern of motor unit activity delays muscle fatigue and
allows contraction of a whole muscle to be sustained for long periods. The
weakest motor units are recruited first, with progressively stronger motor
units added if the task requires more force.

17. Why is muscle tone important?

 Muscle tone is crucial because it keeps the skeletal muscles stiff, but it does
not provide a force powerful enough to move the body. Smooth muscle
tissues, such as those present in the gastrointestinal tract, where the walls
of the digestive organs maintain a constant pressure on their contents, are
also significant. The tone of smooth muscle fibers in the walls of blood
arteries is critical for blood pressure control.
18. Define each of the following terms: concentric isotonic contraction,
eccentric isotonic contraction, and isometric contraction.
 Concentric isotonic contraction - if the tension generated is great enough
to overcome the resistance of the object to be moved, the muscle shortens
and pulls on another structure, such as a tendon, to produce movement and
to reduce the angle at a joint.
 Eccentric isotonic contraction - the length of a muscle increases during
a contraction.
 Isometric contraction - the tension generated is not enough to exceed the
resistance of the object to be moved, and the muscle does not change its
length.

19. Demonstrate an isotonic contraction. How does it feel? What do you think
causes the physical discomfort you are experiencing?
 My muscles feel slightly warmed and stretched after executing isotonic
contractions. My muscles are heavily contracted. This, I believe, is due to the
force and tension that exists within my muscles.

20. Why are some skeletal muscle fibers classified as “fast” and others are
said to be “slow”?
-Skeletal muscle fibers contract and relax at different speeds, and vary in
which metabolic reactions they use to generate ATP and in how quickly they fatigue
(fast or slow).

21. In what order are the various types of skeletal muscle fibers recruited
when you sprint to make it to the bus stop?
 The sequence of skeletal muscle fibers recruited when we sprint to make it
to thebus stop is the following:
Slow Oxidative Fast Oxidative–Glycolytic Fast glycolitic fibers

22. On a cellular level, what causes muscle hypertrophy?

 It is cause by the excessive synthesis of proteins in the muscles.

23. What are the similarities among and differences between skeletal and
cardiac muscle?
 Cardiac muscle fibers feature the same actin and myosin arrangements as
skeletal muscle fibers, as well as the same bands, zones, and Z discs.
Intercalated discs, on the other hand, are found only in cardiac muscle
fibers. These tiny structures are irregular sarcolemma transverse
thickenings that connect the ends of cardiac muscle fibers to one another.

24. What are the differences between visceral and multiunit smooth muscle?
 Visceral smooth muscle fibers connect to one another by gap junctions and
contract as a single unit while multiunit smooth muscle fibers lack gap
junctions and contract independently.

25. How are skeletal and smooth muscle similar? How do they differ?
 The principles of contraction are identical in skeletal and smooth muscle.
Smooth muscle fiber contraction, on the other hand, begins slowly and lasts
 far longer than skeletal muscle fiber contraction. Another distinction is that
smooth muscle has a greater ability to shorten and stretch than other
muscle types.

26. Which type of muscular tissue has the highest capacity for regeneration?
 Smooth muscle tissue has significantly stronger regeneration abilities than
the other two forms of muscle tissue.

27. Which structures develop from myotomes, dermatomes, and sclerotomes?

 Myotome - forms the skeletal muscles of the head, neck, and limbs.
 Dermatome - forms the connective tissues including the dermis of the skin
 Sclerotome - gives rise to the vertebrae

28. Why does muscle strength decrease with aging?

- A decrease in maximal strength, a slowdown of muscle reflexes, and a loss
of flexibility accompany the loss of muscle mass. The amount of slow oxidative (SO)
fibers appears to grow with age. During these years, an estimated 10% of muscle
mass is lost. This could be due to atrophy or conversion of the other fiber types into
slow oxidative fibers. Between the ages of 50 and 80, another 40% of muscle is
routinely lost. People normally do not notice a loss of muscle strength until they are
60 to 65 years old. Muscles in the lower limbs typically deteriorate before those in
the upper limbs at that time. As a result, when climbing stairs or rising from a
seated posture becomes difficult, the elderly's independence may be compromised.

29. Why do you think a healthy 30-year-old can lift a 25-lb load much more
comfortably than an 80-year-old?
- Skeletal muscle mass is gradually lost as people age, and it is replaced by
fibrous connective tissue and fat. Muscular limitation occurs as you become older;
you'll have less muscle movement and become restricted with time. As you become
older, your lean body mass decreases, limiting your ability to handle big burdens.
When you are younger, you have more muscular mass and strength than when you
are older. Younger bones are stronger and less prone to osteoporosis.

SELF-QUIZ QUESTIONS

Fill in the blanks in the following statements.

1. A single somatic motor neuron and all of the muscle fibers it stimulates is
known as a MOTOR UNIT .
2. The wasting away of muscle due to lack of use is known as MUSCULAR
ATROPHY while the replacement of skeletal muscle fibers with scar tissue is
known as FIBROSIS .
3. The synaptic end bulbs of somatic motor neurons contain synaptic vesicles filled
with the neurotransmitter ACh.

Indicate whether the following statements are True or False.

TRUE 4. The ability of muscle cells to respond to stimuli and produce electrical
signals is known as excitability.
TRUE 5. The sequence of events resulting in skeletal muscle contraction are (a)
generation of a nerve impulse; (b) release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine;
(c) generation of a muscle action potential; (d) release of calcium ions from
the sarcoplasmic reticulum; (e) calcium ion binding to troponin; (f) power stroke
with actin and myosin binding and release.

Choose the one best answer to the following questions.

E 6. In muscle physiology, the latent period refers to
(a) the period of lost excitability that occurs when two stimuli are applied
immediately one after the other.
(b) the brief contraction of a motor unit.
(c) the period of elevated oxygen use after exercise.
(d) an inability of a muscle to contract forcefully after prolonged activity.
(e) a brief delay that occurs between application of a stimulus and the beginning of
contraction.

A 7. Which of the following muscle proteins and their descriptions are

mismatched?
(a) titin: regulatory protein that holds troponin in place
(b) myosin: contractile motor protein
(c) tropomyosin: regulatory protein that blocks myosin-binding sites
(d) actin: contractile protein that contains myosin-binding sites
(e) calsequestrin: calcium-binding protein

C 8. During muscle contraction all of the following occur except

(a) cross-bridges are formed when the energized myosin head attaches to actin’s
myosin-binding site.
(b) ATP undergoes hydrolysis.
(c) the thick filaments slide inward toward the M line.
(d) calcium concentration in the cytosol increases.
(e) the Z discs are drawn toward each other.

E 9. Which of the following is not true concerning sarcomeres (before contraction

begins) and muscle fiber length–tension relationships?
(a) If sarcomeres are stretched, the tension in the fiber decreases.
(b) If a muscle cell is stretched so that there is no overlap of the filaments, no
tension is generated.
(c) Extremely compressed sarcomeres result in less muscle tension.
(d) Maximum tension occurs when the zone of overlap between a thick and thin
filament extends from the edge of the H zone to one end of a thick filament.
(e) If sarcomeres shorten, the tension in them increases.
D 10. Which of the following are sources of ATP for muscle contraction?(1) creatine
phosphate, (2) glycolysis, (3) anaerobic cellular respiration, (4) aerobic cellular
respiration, (5) acetylcholine.
(a) 1, 2, and 3 (b) 2, 3, and 4 (c) 2, 3, and 5 (d) 1, 2, 3, and 4 (e)
2, 3, 4, and 5
B 11. What would happen if ATP were suddenly unavailable after the sarcomere
had begun to shorten?
(a) Nothing. The contraction would proceed normally.
(b) The myosin heads would be unable to detach from actin.
(c) Troponin would bind with the myosin heads.
(d) Actin and myosin filaments would separate completely and be unable to
recombine.
(e) The myosin heads would detach completely from actin.

12. Match the following:

5 (a) a sheath of areolar connective tissue that wraps (1)
aponeurosis
around individual skeletal muscle fibers (2) fascia
6 (b) dense irregular connective tissue that separates (3)
subcutaneous layer
a muscle into groups of individual muscle fibers (4) tendon
9 (c) bundles of muscle fibers (5) endomysium
7 (d) the outermost connective tissue layer that (6)
perimysium
encircles an entire skeletal muscle (7) epimysium
2 (e) dense irregular connective tissue that lines (8)
tendon(synovial) sheath
the body wall and limbs and holds functional (9)
fascicles
muscle units together (10) muscle fiber
4 (f) a cord of dense regular connective tissue
that attaches muscle to the periosteum of bone
10 (g) muscle cell
3 (h) areolar and adipose connective tissue that
separates muscle from skin
1 (i) connective tissue elements extended as a
broad, flat layer
8 (j) a two-layer tube of fibrous connective tissue
enclosing certain tendons

13. Match the following:

7 (a) synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber (1) A band
10 (b) invaginations of the sarcolemma from the surface (2) I band
toward the center of the muscle fiber (3) Z disc
9 (c) myoblasts that persist in mature skeletal muscle (4) H zone
12 (d) plasma membrane of a muscle fiber (5) M line
8 (e) oxygen-binding protein found only in muscle fibers (6) sarcomere
11 (f) Ca2-storing tubular system similar to smooth (7) neuromuscular
endoplasmic reticulum (8) myoglobin
6 (g) contracting unit of a skeletal muscle fiber (9) satellite cells
1 (h) middle area in the sarcomere where thick and (10) transverse tubules
thin filaments are found 11)sarcoplasmic reticulum
2 (i) area in the sarcomere where only thin filaments (12) sarcolemma
are present but thick filaments are not (13) sarcoplasm
3 (j) separates the sarcomeres from each other
4 (k) area of only thick filaments
13 (l) cytoplasm of a muscle fiber
5 (m) composed of supporting proteins holding thick filaments
together at the H zone

14. Match the following (some questions will have more than one answer):
2 (a) has fibers joined by intercalated discs (1)skeletal muscle
3 (b) thick and thin filaments are not arranged (2)cardiac muscle
as orderly sarcomeres (3) smooth muscle
1 (c) uses satellite cells to repair damaged
muscle fibers
1&2 (d) striated
3 (e) contraction begins slowly but lasts for
long periods
2 (f) has an extended contraction due to prolonged
calcium delivery from both the sarcoplasmic
reticulum and the interstitial fluid
1 (g) does not exhibit autorhythmicity
3 (h) uses pericytes to repair damaged muscle fibers
1&2 (i) uses troponin as a regulatory protein
3 (j) can be classified as single-unit or multiunit
3 (k) can be autorhythmic
2&3 (l) uses calmodulin as a regulatory protein

15. Match the following:

10 (a) the smooth muscle action that allows the fibers
to maintain their contractile function even when
stretched (1) muscle fatigue
2 (b) a brief contraction of all the muscle fibers in a (2) twitch contraction
motor unit of a muscle in response to a single ( (3) wave summation
action potential in its motor neuron (4) fused (complete) tetanus
4 (c) sustained contraction of a muscle, with no (5) concentric isotonic contraction
relaxation between stimuli (6) motor unit recruitment
3 (d) larger contractions resulting from stimuli (7) muscle tone
arriving at different times (8) eccentric isotonic contraction
6 (e) process of increasing the number of (9) isometric contraction
activated motor units (10) stress–relaxation response
5 (f) contraction in which the muscle shortens (11) recovery oxygen uptake
1 (g) inability of a muscle to maintain its strength (12) unfused (incomplete) tetanus
of contraction or tension during prolonged activity
12 (h) sustained, but wavering contraction with
partial relaxation between stimuli
7 (i) produced by the continual involuntary activation
of a small number of skeletal muscle motor units;
results in firmness in skeletal muscle
9 (j) contraction in which muscle tension is generated
without shortening of the muscle
11 (k) amount of oxygen needed to restore the body’s
 metabolic conditions back to resting levels after exercise
8 (l) contraction in which a muscle lengthens

CRITICAL QUESTIONS

1. Weight lifter Jamal has been practicing many hours a day and his muscles
have gotten noticeably bigger. He tells you that his muscle cells are
―multiplying like crazy and making him get stronger and stronger.‖ Do you
believe his explanation? Why or why not?

Answer: No, I don't believe Jamal's statement because it's only his opinion
without any scientific backing. To begin with, mature skeletal muscle fibers
do not undergo mitosis. Following birth, muscle cells lose their ability to
divide. As a result, the increase in size is attributed to growth of existing
muscle fibers rather than an increase in the number of muscle cells
(hypertrophy). Forceful, repetitive muscle exertion might cause this
hypertrophy. It will stimulate the muscle fibers to develop more internal
structures like mitochondria and myofibrils, as well as increase the diameter
of the muscle fibers.

2. Chicken breasts are composed of ―white meat‖ while chicken legs are
composed of ―dark meat.‖ The breasts and legs of migrating ducks are dark
meat. The breasts of both chickens and ducks are used in flying. How can
you explain the differences in the color of the meat (muscles)? How are they
adapted for their particular functions?

Answer: The "dark meat" of both chickens and ducks is composed primarily
of slow oxidatiSO) muscle fibers. These fibers contain large amounts of
myoglobin and capve (illaries, which accounts for their dark color. In
addition, these fibers contain large numbers of mitochondria and generate
ATP by aerobic respiration. SO fibers are resistant to fatigue and can
produce sustained contractions for many hours. The legs of chickens and
ducks are used for support, walking, and swimming (in ducks), all activities
in which endurance is needed. In addition, migrating ducks require SO
fibers in their breasts to enable them to have enough energy to fly for
extremely long distances while migrating. There may be some fast oxidative-
glycolytic (FOG) fibers in the dark meat. FOG fibers also contain large
amounts of myoglobin and capillaries, contributing to the dark color. They
can use aerobic or anaerobic cellular respiration to generate ATP and have
high-to-moderate resistance to fatigue. These fibers would be good for the
occasional "sprint" that ducks and chickens undergo to escape dangerous
situations. In contrast, the white meat of a chicken breast is composed
primarily of fast glycolytic (FG) fibers. FG fibers have lower amounts of
myoglobin and capillaries that give the meat its white color. There are also
few mitochondria in FG fibers, so these fibers generate ATP mainly by
glycolysis. These fibers contract strongly and quickly and are adapted for
intense anaerobic movements of short duration. Chickens occasionally use
 their breasts for flying extremely short distances, usually to escape prey or
perceived danger, so FG fibers are appropriate for their breast muscle.

3. Polio is a disease caused by a virus that can attack the somatic motor neurons
in the central nervous system. Individuals who suffer from polio can develop
muscle weakness and atrophy. In a certain percentage of cases, the individuals
may die due to respiratory paralysis. Relate your knowledge of how muscle fibers
function to the symptoms exhibited by infected individuals.

Answer: As what I’ve learned from the book, the lack of stimulation to the skeletal
muscles will occur from the destruction of somatic motor neurons to skeletal
muscle fibers. Muscle tone begins to deteriorate when it is not stimulated on a
regular basis. Muscle fibers degenerate, shrink in size, and can be replaced by
fibrous connective tissue as a result of lack of use, leading in denervation atrophy.
Because motor neurons do not stimulate the breathing muscles (particularly the
diaphragm), the breathing muscles become unable to contract, resulting in
respiratory paralysis and possibly death from respiratory failure.