After studying this material you should be able to:
1. List the histological characteristics of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle.
2. List the functions of muscles.
3. Describe the gross anatomy of and the connective tissues associated with a skeletal muscle.
4. Compare and contrast the functional (physiological) properties of muscle tissue.
5. Describe the anatomy and functions of the microscopic components of skeletal muscle.
6. List the special terms given to the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and smooth endoplasmic reticulum of a muscle cell.
7. Compare and contrast myofilaments and myofibrils.
8. Distinguish between actin and myosin.
9. Sketch the overlapping pattern of myofilaments to explain how they account for the A bands, I bands, H bands, and Z discs.
10. Explain what a motor unit is and how it relates to muscle contraction.
11. List the components of the neuromuscular junction and describe all of the steps of how a message is sent from a motor neuron to a muscle cell.
12. Explain why a cell has an electrical charge difference across its plasma membrane and how this relates to muscle contraction.
13. Describe the roles of acetylcholine, acetylcholine receptors, and acetylcholinesterase. State where each is found and the function each serves.
14. Explain what accounts for the resting membrane potential seen in unstimulated nerve and muscle cells.
15. Describe the difference between a resting membrane potential and an action potential.
16. Explain how a nerve fiber stimulates a skeletal muscle fiber.
17. Explain how stimulation of a muscle fiber activates its contractile mechanism.
18. Explain how a muscle cell relaxes.
19. Describe the change that Ach causes in Ach receptors.
20. Explain how troponin and tropomyosin regulate the interaction between myosin and actin.
21. Describe the roles played by ATP in the power and recovery strokes of myosin.
22. Explain what steps are needed for a contracted muscle to return to its resting length.
23. Describe the stages of a muscle twitch.
24. Describe treppe, explain how it relates to muscle warm-up and why it improves athletic performance.
25. Explain how muscle twitches add up to produce stronger muscle contractions.
26. Distinguish between isometric and isotonic contraction.
27. Distinguish between concentric and eccentric contractions.
28. Explain the role of tetanus in normal muscle action.
29. Define rigor mortis and explain why it happens and how it ends.
30. Describe an everyday activity not involving the arms in which your muscles would switch from isometric to isotonic contraction.
31. Describe an everyday activity not involving the arms in that would involve concentric contraction and one that would involve eccentric contraction.
32. Explain how skeletal muscle meets its energy demands during rest and exercise.
33. Discuss how ATP is regenerated during different times of energy demand and the enzymes that catalyze this regeneration.
34. Explain the causes of muscle fatigue and soreness.
35. Define oxygen debt, what causes it, and explain why extra oxygen is needed after exercise has stopped.
36. Discuss the properties of each of the physiological types of muscle fibers that allows each to adapt to different functional roles.
37. Discuss the effects of resistance and endurance exercises on muscle.