124 Study Questions

Muscle, Cardiovascular, and Respiratory Physiology

Describe the functional anatomy of skeletal muscle.

Explain the sliding filament mechanism of muscle contraction.

Describe the special characteristics of myosin and actin filaments.

Discuss the cross bridge cycle of contraction and explain the mechanism of the
"power stroke".

What are the roles of the transverse tubules and the lateral sacs in the initiation of
muscle contraction?

How do calcium ions react with the myofibrillar filaments to cause muscle
contraction? Include the sequence of changes elicited by calcium ion binding.

Discuss the number of muscle fibers found in a motor unit.

A motor unit consists of one motor neuron and all of the muscle fibers it innervates.

Explain the importance of ATP in skeletal muscle contraction.

Describe the effects of initial muscle length on force of skeletal muscle contraction.
Discuss the entire length-tension relationship in skeletal muscle.

Explain excitation contraction coupling in skeletal muscle. Include latency period in

your explanation.

Diagram and explain the load velocity relationship of skeletal muscle.

Explain recruitment in skeletal muscle.

Discuss the metabolic pathways of ATP production in skeletal muscle.

Describe the characteristics of the three types of skeletal muscle fibers.

What are the different types of summation by which the strength of muscle
contraction can be changed?

What is the relationship between exercise and muscle hypertrophy?

Compare and contrast smooth and skeletal muscle regulation.

How does smooth muscle differ anatomically from skeletal muscle?

How do "slow waves" cause rhythmic smooth muscle contraction?

How does speed of contraction in smooth muscle differ from skeletal muscle?

What are the interrelationships between the sympathetic and parasympathetic

systems for the control of smooth muscle contractions?

What is smooth muscle tone, its importance and cause?

Explain why the sinoatrial node is normally the pacemaker of the heart, while at
times some other area of the heart might become the pacemaker.

Diagram and explain the mechanisms of a pacemaker potential for a nodal cell.

Diagram and explain the mechanisms of a ventricular myocardial cell action

potential.

How does the Purkinje system increase the effectiveness of the heart as a pump?

In the electrocardiogram, what does the "P" wave represent? The "QRS wave? The
"T" wave?

What is the structural difference between the A-V valve and the pulmonary and
aortic valves, and what is an explanation of this difference?

What causes each of the heart sounds?

In the cardiac cycle, what is the relationship between left ventricular pressure and
aortic pressure?

Explain the law of the heart and its significance.

What are the effects of sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation of the heart?

Why is it important that cardiac muscle have a syncytial structure?

What causes automatic rhythmicity of cardiac muscle?

What causes the opening and closing of the heart valves?

Describe the specialized conduction pathway in the heart.

Explain the mechanism for calcium release in cardiac muscle contraction.

Explain the physiological mechanism of why the heart does not experience tetany?

Explain the cardiac cycle.