हिंदी
Tamil Nadu Board of Secondary EducationHSC Science Class 11

Mechanism of Muscle Contraction

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Estimated time: 3 minutes
CBSE: Class 12

Key Points: Mechanism of Muscle Contraction

  • Muscle contraction follows the sliding filament theory, where thin (actin) filaments slide over thick (myosin) filaments.
  • Contraction begins with a signal from the CNS through a motor neuron; the neuron and muscle fibres together form a motor unit.
  • The neuromuscular junction (motor-end plate) is the point where the motor neuron connects to the muscle fibre.
  • Acetylcholine is released, which generates an action potential and causes the release of Ca²⁺ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
  • Calcium ions activate actin, allowing myosin heads to bind and form cross-bridges.
  • Cross bridges pull actin filaments, causing sliding, shortening of the sarcomere, and muscle contraction (I-band shortens, A-band remains the same).
  • ATP helps in breaking and reforming cross-bridges; when Ca²⁺ is pumped back, the muscle relaxes.
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