Sliding filament theory of muscle contraction Step by step 1. An ______________ ______________________arrives at the muscle 2.

The depolarisation causes Ca2+ gates in the ___________________ ___________________to open 3. Calcium ions (Ca2+)which are stored in the sarcoplasmic reticulum ___________________rapidly into the sarcoplasm (where the actin and myosin are located) 4. Calcium ions (Ca2+) bind to the ________________________ which causes the tropomyosin (wrapped around the actin filaments) to change shape and move exposing the __________________binding sites on the actin filaments. 5. Each myosin head is now able to __________ with the actin filament creating an actin/myosin cross bridge. This creates tension in the muscle 6. _______+ ______ are released from the myosin head. This causes the myosin head to change shape and become cocked, pulling the actin along the myosin 7. ATP now binds with the __________________ __________ causing the bond between the myosin head

and actin filament to break. The myosin head ______________________. 8. ATPase on the myosin head breaks down ATP -> ADP + Pi and the _________________ released returns the head to its original position. 9. With continued stimulation from the nervous system the ______________ ________ stay in the sarcoplasm and the ratchet mechanism is repeated 10. If stimulation stops the Calcium ions (Ca2+) are pumped back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum using ________________ ______________________. ATP is required for this process. 11. __________________ and ___________________________ return to their original shape and so once again cover the myosin binding sites on the actin filaments 12. The ___________________ heads cannot bind with the actin 13. The _________________ filaments are free to move out of the myosin and return back to their original position. 14. The ________________________ return to their original relaxed length and the muscle fibre relaxes. Relaxation is a totally passive process and so does not require ATP