Isotropic bands

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In physiology, isotropic bands (better known as I bands) are the lighter bands of skeletal muscle cells (a.k.a. muscle fibers). Isotropic bands contain only actin-containing thin filaments. [1] The thin filaments are placed between 2 myosin filaments and contain only the actin filaments of neighboring sarcomeres. Bisecting the I band and serving as an anchoring point for the two adjacent actin filaments is the Z disc. During muscle contraction, the I band will shorten, while an A band will maintain its width. [2]

The muscle is made up of several myofibrils packed into functional units surrounded by different layers of connective tissues (epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium). The main contractile unit is mainly composed of protein filaments (myofilaments), namely myosin (thick filaments) and actin (thin filaments). saarkomer.png
The muscle is made up of several myofibrils packed into functional units surrounded by different layers of connective tissues (epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium). The main contractile unit is mainly composed of protein filaments (myofilaments), namely myosin (thick filaments) and actin (thin filaments).

Cellular anatomy

The darker bands within skeletal muscle, known as anisotropic bands (A bands), encompass both thick and thin filaments and constitute the central region of the sarcomere, extending across the H-zone. Collectively, the A bands and the I bands create the distinctive striped appearance of skeletal muscle tissue. [3] Tropomyosin, a protein, shields the myosin-binding sites, hindering actin from binding to myosin. It attaches to troponin, which secures it in place. During muscle relaxation, the troponin-tropomyosin complex inhibits myosin heads from binding to the active sites on actin microfilaments. Troponin also possesses a calcium ion binding site. These two regulatory proteins cooperate in response to calcium levels, overseeing sarcomere contraction. During muscle contraction, tropomyosin shifts to expose the myosin-binding site on an actin filament, allowing the interaction between actin and myosin microfilaments to occur. The initiation of contraction involves calcium ions binding to troponin, prompting a reaction that displaces tropomyosin from the actin filament binding sites. Consequently, myosin heads can attach to these exposed sites, forming cross-bridges and initiating muscle contraction. [4]

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The muscular system is an organ system consisting of skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle. It permits movement of the body, maintains posture, and circulates blood throughout the body. The muscular systems in vertebrates are controlled through the nervous system although some muscles can be completely autonomous. Together with the skeletal system in the human, it forms the musculoskeletal system, which is responsible for the movement of the body.

Rigor mortis, or postmortem rigidity, is the fourth stage of death. It is one of the recognizable signs of death, characterized by stiffening of the limbs of the corpse caused by chemical changes in the muscles postmortem. In humans, rigor mortis can occur as soon as four hours after death. Contrary to folklore and common belief, rigor mortis is not permanent and begins to pass within hours of onset. Typically, it lasts no longer than eight hours at "room temperature".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth muscle</span> Involuntary non-striated muscle

Smooth (soft) muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle, so-called because it has no sarcomeres and therefore no striations. It is divided into two subgroups, single-unit and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit muscle, the whole bundle or sheet of smooth muscle cells contracts as a syncytium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myofibril</span> Contractile element of muscle

A myofibril is a basic rod-like organelle of a muscle cell. Skeletal muscles are composed of long, tubular cells known as muscle fibers, and these cells contain many chains of myofibrils. Each myofibril has a diameter of 1–2 micrometres. They are created during embryonic development in a process known as myogenesis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarcomere</span> Repeating unit of a myofibril in a muscle cell

A sarcomere is the smallest functional unit of striated muscle tissue. It is the repeating unit between two Z-lines. Skeletal muscles are composed of tubular muscle cells which are formed during embryonic myogenesis. Muscle fibers contain numerous tubular myofibrils. Myofibrils are composed of repeating sections of sarcomeres, which appear under the microscope as alternating dark and light bands. Sarcomeres are composed of long, fibrous proteins as filaments that slide past each other when a muscle contracts or relaxes. The costamere is a different component that connects the sarcomere to the sarcolemma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiac muscle</span> Muscular tissue of heart in vertebrates

Cardiac muscle is one of three types of vertebrate muscle tissues, with the other two being skeletal muscle and smooth muscle. It is an involuntary, striated muscle that constitutes the main tissue of the wall of the heart. The cardiac muscle (myocardium) forms a thick middle layer between the outer layer of the heart wall and the inner layer, with blood supplied via the coronary circulation. It is composed of individual cardiac muscle cells joined by intercalated discs, and encased by collagen fibers and other substances that form the extracellular matrix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troponin</span> Protein complex

Troponin, or the troponin complex, is a complex of three regulatory proteins that are integral to muscle contraction in skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle, but not smooth muscle. Measurements of cardiac-specific troponins I and T are extensively used as diagnostic and prognostic indicators in the management of myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndrome. Blood troponin levels may be used as a diagnostic marker for stroke or other myocardial injury that is ongoing, although the sensitivity of this measurement is low.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striated muscle tissue</span> Muscle tissue with repeating functional units called sarcomeres

Striated muscle tissue is a muscle tissue that features repeating functional units called sarcomeres. The presence of sarcomeres manifests as a series of bands visible along the muscle fibers, which is responsible for the striated appearance observed in microscopic images of this tissue. There are two types of striated muscle:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muscle contraction</span> Activation of tension-generating sites in muscle

Muscle contraction is the activation of tension-generating sites within muscle cells. In physiology, muscle contraction does not necessarily mean muscle shortening because muscle tension can be produced without changes in muscle length, such as when holding something heavy in the same position. The termination of muscle contraction is followed by muscle relaxation, which is a return of the muscle fibers to their low tension-generating state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropomyosin</span> Protein

Tropomyosin is a two-stranded alpha-helical, coiled coil protein found in many animal and fungal cells. In animals, it is an important component of the muscular system which works in conjunction with troponin to regulate muscle contraction. It is present in smooth and striated muscle tissues, which can be found in various organs and body systems, including the heart, blood vessels, respiratory system, and digestive system. In fungi, tropomyosin is found in cell walls and helps maintain the structural integrity of cells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myofilament</span> The two protein filaments of myofibrils in muscle cells

Myofilaments are the three protein filaments of myofibrils in muscle cells. The main proteins involved are myosin, actin, and titin. Myosin and actin are the contractile proteins and titin is an elastic protein. The myofilaments act together in muscle contraction, and in order of size are a thick one of mostly myosin, a thin one of mostly actin, and a very thin one of mostly titin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myosin light-chain kinase</span> Class of kinase enzymes

Myosin light-chain kinase also known as MYLK or MLCK is a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase that phosphorylates a specific myosin light chain, namely, the regulatory light chain of myosin II.

Actinin is a microfilament protein. The functional protein is an anti-parallel dimer, which cross-links the thin filaments in adjacent sarcomeres, and therefore coordinates contractions between sarcomeres in the horizontal axis. Alpha-actinin is a part of the spectrin superfamily. This superfamily is made of spectrin, dystrophin, and their homologous and isoforms. In non-muscle cells, it is found by the actin filaments and at the adhesion sites.The lattice like arrangement provides stability to the muscle contractile apparatus. Specifically, it helps bind actin filaments to the cell membrane. There is a binding site at each end of the rod and with bundles of actin filaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triad (anatomy)</span> Structure of muscle tissue

In the histology of skeletal muscle, a triad is the structure formed by a T tubule with a sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) known as the terminal cisterna on either side. Each skeletal muscle fiber has many thousands of triads, visible in muscle fibers that have been sectioned longitudinally. In mammals, triads are typically located at the A-I junction; that is, the junction between the A and I bands of the sarcomere, which is the smallest unit of a muscle fiber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TNNT2</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Cardiac muscle troponin T (cTnT) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TNNT2 gene. Cardiac TnT is the tropomyosin-binding subunit of the troponin complex, which is located on the thin filament of striated muscles and regulates muscle contraction in response to alterations in intracellular calcium ion concentration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TPM1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Tropomyosin alpha-1 chain is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TPM1 gene. This gene is a member of the tropomyosin (Tm) family of highly conserved, widely distributed actin-binding proteins involved in the contractile system of striated and smooth muscles and the cytoskeleton of non-muscle cells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troponin C type 1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Troponin C, also known as TN-C or TnC, is a protein that resides in the troponin complex on actin thin filaments of striated muscle and is responsible for binding calcium to activate muscle contraction. Troponin C is encoded by the TNNC1 gene in humans for both cardiac and slow skeletal muscle. In slow skeletal muscle. structural analysis,anlaizie;10.164.138.220 Hotspot in for phone lunch everyday. Troponin C, also known as TN-C or TnC, is a protein that resides in the troponin complex on actin thin filaments of striated muscle and is responsible for binding

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TNNI1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Troponin I, slow skeletal muscle is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TNNI1 gene. It is a tissue-specific subtype of troponin I, which in turn is a part of the troponin complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terminal cisternae</span> Enlarged areas of the sarcoplasmic reticulum surrounding the transverse tubules

Terminal cisternae are enlarged areas of the sarcoplasmic reticulum surrounding the transverse tubules.

Cardiac excitation-contraction coupling (CardiacEC coupling) describes the series of events, from the production of an electrical impulse (action potential) to the contraction of muscles in the heart. This process is of vital importance as it allows for the heart to beat in a controlled manner, without the need for conscious input. EC coupling results in the sequential contraction of the heart muscles that allows blood to be pumped, first to the lungs (pulmonary circulation) and then around the rest of the body (systemic circulation) at a rate between 60 and 100 beats every minute, when the body is at rest. This rate can be altered, however, by nerves that work to either increase heart rate (sympathetic nerves) or decrease it (parasympathetic nerves), as the body's oxygen demands change. Ultimately, muscle contraction revolves around a charged atom (ion), calcium (Ca2+), which is responsible for converting the electrical energy of the action potential into mechanical energy (contraction) of the muscle. This is achieved in a region of the muscle cell, called the transverse tubule during a process known as calcium induced calcium release.

References

  1. Goldblum, John (2018). Rosai and Ackerman's Surgical Pathology (11 ed.). Elsevier. pp. 1810–1914.
  2. Z disk - definition - glossary (2015) at PhysiologyWeb
  3. Standring, S. (2016). Gray's Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone
  4. Menefee, W.; Jenks, J.; Mazzasette, C.; Nguyen, K.-L. (2021). "Muscle fiber contraction and relaxation" via libretexts.org.