Periphery muscles

Neurons that control muscles have cell bodies in spinal cord = motor neurons
- Different types of motor neurons: alpha, beta, gamma
o Alpha neurons = main motor neuron (1 neuron to a muscle)
1 motor neuron can connect to many muscle fibers within a muscle
(branches)
Motor neuron w/ less branches synapse on small number of
fibers (influence only small part of muscle)
Recruitment = neurons with small cell bodies (& less synapses on
fibers) = recruited first for small amounts of force (movement
stimulates these neurons first)
1 motor neuron + many fibers = motor unit
- Each muscle fiber = divided into many smaller fibers = myofibrils
o = tube with dividers (like bamboo lol)
o Circular dividers = z disks
o Space between z disks = sarcomere
o Mechanism for muscle contraction occurs here
o 2 proteins drive movement = actin + myosin

Actin = rope-like proteins connected to walls of z-disks, sticking into sarcomere

Myosin = within sarcomere, with binding sites to actin
o When muscle contracts, Ca2+ released into cell catalyzes reaction
conformational change in binding sites between actin and myosin
Cycle of myosin: grabs, pulls, lets go of actin ropes
Actin ropes pull on walls of z disks sarcomere
contracts
Many sarcomeres contract whole myofibril strand
shortens/contracts ( many myrofibrils contract, whole
muscle contracts )
Almost all animal muscles use this simple process w/ actin +
myosin
2+
o Ca = normally contained in organelle called sarcoplasmic reticulum
When motor neuron synapses on muscle cell, A.P. travels down
motor neuron,
neuron releases acetylcholine
depolarizes muscle cell (cell undergoes entire voltage change)
cell opens sarcoplasmic reticulum
releases Ca2+ ( catalyzes the conformational change between
actin + myosin)
Suspected that muscle cells evolved before neurons, neurons =
modified muscle cells :O (neurons = muscle cells unable to
contract! :O)

Muscle movement
- Actual movement = many muscles coupled / working together +
tendons/ligamenets
- Balance between two muscles = how joint is regulated (one contracts, the other
stretches, e.g., when elbow is moved)
- Agonist = muscle pulling in direction of movement
- Antagonist = muscle pulling against direction of motion
o E.g. flexing elbow (arm move up) biceps = agonist; triceps = antagonist
(both operating at same time in regulating motion)

o Slow movement slight imbalance of force (both about same magnitude)

o Fast movement need burst of activity in agonist muscle to overcome
inertia (start of motion)
+ need burst of activity in antagonist muscle to stop inertia (end of
motion)
= biphasic pattern (very precise timing)
Also triphasic patterns
very fast movement, stop much more suddenly
Burst of agonist activity (overcome inertia), burst of
antagonist activity (stop inertia but force is so strong
that risk of bringing arm back in other direction)
Burst of agonist activity again to stop the motion of
antagonist muscle

Spinal Cord
-

Stretch reflex
o Stretch receptor in muscles = axons that feedbacks into spinal cord
o Different types of receptors:
Muscle spindle fibers = somatosensory fibers
1a afferent = registers how stretched the muscle is
o e.g., when arm stretched out biceps = stretch
receptors registering much stretch activity; when
folded in triceps = much activity
Cross-section spinal cord
o Ventral roots = from where alpha neurons project to muscles
Alpha neurons agonist muscle;
stretch receptors in agonist muscle dorsal root
Motor output, sensory input

Reflex = sensory input neuron from receptor synapses directly on

motor neuron (reflex loop, no projection to brain)
E.g., knee-jerk reflex (sudden stretch in quad burst of
activity, receptors directly synapse on motor neuron
immediate knee-jerk muscle movement)
Same pathway of neurons from ventral root to antagonist muscle;
receptors from antagonist to dorsal root
o Interneurons = relay signals between agonist and antagonist muscles
E.g., agonist stretch receptors branch to also synapse on
interneuron (+ agonist motor neuron) interneuron synapses on
antagonist motor neuron
1a inhibitory interneuron
Activation release of neurotransmitter that inhibits
postsynaptic neuron (antagonist muscle)
Activity from agonist stretch receptor activates
agonist muscle, inhibits antagonist muscle
o e.g. sudden bicep stretch interneuron prevents
antagonist from stretching as well

appears simple feedback loop, but in reality quite complex spinal cord has to be
aware of what position body is in at all times in order to regulate reflex
Spinal cords cyclic control = Central Pattern Generator (CPG) -23:00
o Severing animals brains from spinal cords limbs / peripheral body still
move despite disconnect from brain
E.g., cats legs move on treadmill :O
If hit the leg, foot comes up and then back down, as if
stepping over obstacle!
must exist inherent cyclic pattern generator in spinal cord

Experiments with frogs

o Separate spinal cord from brain
o Put electrode in spinal cord stimulate leg to move (directly activating
alpha neurons)
o Then stuck electrode in interneuron found that if place electrode in
right spot, leg would move directly to certain exact spot
Started foot in different positions spot in spinal cord would still
drive foot to specific place

Only ~6 spots leg would go to

Regions/zones of spinal cord seemed to be dedicated to
controlling foot to move to certain position endpoint :O
Every movement frog makes = made up of ratio /
combination of those 6 positions, 6 elemental movements
any movement can result from combination of these
quantum positions (e.g. 50% to position 1, 20% position
2, 30% position 4)
o Theory called equilibrium position theory (first ridiculed)
o eventually called muscle synergies (every movement = pattern of
specific synergies / equilibrium positions)

Structure of spinal cord / how synergies work

o One motor neuron connected to muscle in spinal cord,
o One interneuron connected to several/many motor neurons, (!!)
o One neuron from cortex connected to interneuron,
o Signal from neuron in cortex to activate specific synergy activates
interneuron activates all connected motor neurons to move specific
muscles
Combination of synergies = multiple signals from cortex to
activate interneurons activate specific combination of muscles
o = spinal cord = very complex circuitry