Muscle contraction - sliding filament theory

Front

What are the regulatory proteins bound to actin?

Back

Troponin and tropomyosin.

Front

What is the region where a motor neuron comes in close contact with a muscle cell?

Back

Neuromuscular junction.

Front

What initiates skeletal muscle contraction?

Back

A neuron sends a message to the muscle cell.

Front

What are the thick filaments in a myofibril?

Back

Myosin.

Front

What role does calcium play in muscle contraction?

Back

Calcium triggers the binding of myosin to actin.

Front

What is the function of troponin in muscle contraction?

Back

Troponin binds calcium and causes tropomyosin to move, exposing binding sites on actin.

Front

What is the role of tropomyosin in muscle contraction?

Back

Tropomyosin blocks the binding sites on actin when the muscle is relaxed.

Front

What is the sliding filament theory?

Back

The sliding filament theory explains how muscles contract by the sliding of actin and myosin filaments past each other.

Front

What is the role of ATP in muscle contraction?

Back

ATP provides the energy required for myosin to bind to actin and for the muscle to contract.

Front

What happens during the power stroke in muscle contraction?

Back

Myosin heads pull actin filaments toward the center of the sarcomere, shortening the muscle.