Term Definition

Knee joint Function: Permits movement in one plane

Draw and describe the roles of structures at the elbow joint

- Cartilage reduces friction
- Synovial fluid lubricates the joint
- Synovial membrane secretes synovial fluid
- Capsular ligament seals the joint
- Ligament prevents dislocation
- Motor neurons stimulate muscles to contract
- Bones provide a firm anchorage for muscles
- Bones act as levers
- Tendons attach muscles to bone
- Biceps and triceps are antagonistic
- Biceps is the flexor and triceps is the extensor
- Biceps is attached to the radius and triceps is attached to the ulna

Draw a labelled diagram to show the structure of a sarcomere

Explain the role of calcium ions in muscle contraction
- Action potential causes release of calcium
- Calcium released from sarcoplasmic reticulum
- Calcium causes binding sites on actin to be exposed
- Tropomyosin moves away from and uncovers binding sites
- Allows myosin head to bind to actin for contraction
- Sarcomere shortens

Explain how a nerve impulse is transmitted from a motor neuron to a muscle

- Impulse reaches the motor end plates
- Synaptic vesicles contain neurotransmitters(acetylcholine)
- Calcium enters through the presynaptic membrane
- Calcium causes the vesicles to move to and fuse with the membrane (exocytosis)
- Neurotransmitter released into the synaptic cleft
- Diffuses across the synaptic cleft to the postsynaptic membrane
- Binds to receptor sites
- Causes depolarisation of the postsynaptic membrane
- By opening sodium gates
- Threshold of stimulation most be reached
- Enzyme breaks down the neurotransmitter
- Depolarisation causes sarcoplasmic reticulum to release calcium ions
- Calcium ions cause muscle contraction

Explain how skeletal muscle contracts

- Actin and myosin slide past each other
- Action potential arrives at motor end plate
- Neurotransmitter released causing action potential
- Sarcoplasmic reticulum releases calcium ions
- Calcium ions cause binding sites on actin to be exposed
- Myosin heads bind to sites on actin/form cross bridges
- Myosin heads moves actin filament using energy from ATP
- Actin moved toward the centre of sarcomere
- Sarcomere shortened
- ATP causes release of myosin head from actin
- Conversion of ATP to ADP and Pi causes myosin heads to change angle
- Cycle of events repeated during muscle contraction