Anatomy Final Exam Review

Front

What is an action potential?

Back

An action potential is an electrical message that travels through neurons, allowing communication between nerve cells.

Front

What does the release of acetylcholine trigger in skeletal muscles?

Back

The release of acetylcholine triggers skeletal muscles to contract.

Front

What type of neurons carry action potentials from the brain to skeletal muscle fibers?

Back

Motor neurons carry action potentials from the brain to the skeletal muscle fibers, triggering them to contract.

Front

What happens in Step 8 of the Neuromuscular Junction?

Back

The sarcoplasmic reticulum is stimulated by the action potential and releases Ca2+.

Front

What is the role of tropomyosin in muscle contraction?

Back

Tropomyosin is a regulatory protein that is rod-like and runs the length of actin, helping to regulate muscle contraction.

Front

What is the function of neurotransmitters in the nervous system?

Back

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another, facilitating communication in the nervous system.

Front

What is the role of calcium ions (Ca2+) in muscle contraction?

Back

Calcium ions (Ca2+) are released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and bind to troponin, causing tropomyosin to move and expose binding sites on actin for myosin.

Front

What is the difference between sensory neurons and motor neurons?

Back

Sensory neurons carry signals from sensory receptors to the central nervous system, while motor neurons carry signals from the central nervous system to muscles.

Front

What is a synapse?

Back

A synapse is the junction between two neurons, where neurotransmitters are released to transmit signals.

Front

What is the role of myosin in muscle contraction?

Back

Myosin is a motor protein that interacts with actin filaments to produce muscle contraction through the sliding filament mechanism.