Muscular System

Camclips 4, 5, 6, 7
By: Alex W. , Makayla B. , Minnah S. , Elaine R.

Cam Clip 4- Alex Wecker

Mechanism of Muscle Contraction

● There are four protein molecules that make up

the myofilaments in each muscle fibre. They
are: myosin, actin, tropomyosin and
troponin. These molecules are all required for
muscle contraction to occur.
● To begin, the muscle fibre starts in a relaxed
state. It needs to be stimulated by a signal from
the motor neuron in order to begin a muscle
contraction.
● The motor neuron releases neurotransmitters
called acetylcholine (the bodies main
neurotransmitters). Acetylcholine then diffuses
into the synaptic cleft and contacts the
sarcolemma of the muscle fiber. Acetylcholine
receptors bind with acetylcholine. This process
called excitation, creates an impulse in the
sarcolemma.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2012
● This electric impulse causes the release of
calcium ions from the sacs of the SR.
● The calcium ions combine with troponin in the
myofibrils and then tropomyosin moves to
expose the the actin molecules active binding
sites.
● Once the actin molecules are exposed the
sticky myosin heads are able to attach to them.
● The actin and myosin molecules slide into each
other and this process is what allows the
muscle contraction to happen.
● ATP is required for this entire process. Muscle
cells contain many mitochondria because they
require a lot of energy in order to function. The
myosin head breaks down the the ATP creating
the energy required for the muscle contraction.

What Happens Next?

● Now to release the muscle contraction, the
body needs to clean up and get rid of
everything it just did.
● The calcium that was released gets pumped out
Physiology of The Muscular System,2016
using ATP and active transport CA pump.
● The link between the actin and myosin
molecules is broken and they slide apart,
causing the muscle to relax.
● An enzyme called cholinesterase comes in and
gets rid of all of the acetylcholine.
● All of this is done in preparation to receive
another stimulus and the entire process can
begin again.

Threshold Stimulus = the minimal

strength required to cause a muscle to
contract
Muscle Contraction= all or nothing!
When the threshold stimulus is reached,
the muscle will fully contract. There are no
particular contractions.

Bicep Curl, 2006

 Cam Clip 4 Continued- Alex Wecker

The Motor Unit

● Muscles don’t all contract at the same time.

● They have many cells which all need to be connected to a motor nerve.
● Motor nerves can split and make many muscular junctions.
● When the motor nerve and cell combine they become one functional unit called a
motor unit.
● Muscles such as those found in the eyes and fingers, that require fine motor, have
a direct connection (they do not share) and have small motor units.
● Larger muscles such as limb muscles, share a connection and have large motor
units.

What is a Motor Unit,2014

Exercise
What does it do? How Big are your Muscles?

● Myofibrils and myofilaments can increase in

size with exercise. They will also decrease with
a lack of exercise.
● Atrophy- This is the underdevelopment of
muscle mass that occurs due to lack of use.
This can happen when you break a limb and
have a cast or if you are a couch potato!
● Hypertrophy- the opposite, overdevelopment,
can occur when muscle mass becomes very
large. An example of this would be body
builders.

Alexas_Photos, 2018.
 Cam Clip 5 - Makayla Basan
Muscles are classified in terms of their function. There are four
functional groups including prime movers, antagonists, synergists
and fixators.
Prime Mover Muscles:
Prime movers, sometimes referred to as agonists, are muscles that
provide the primary and major force during movement. Although
numerous muscles may be involved during an action, the muscle
providing the primary force is termed as the prime mover.
For example, if a person were to lift
a cup, this is flexion and the prime mover
would be the biceps brachii muscle.
Antagonist Muscles:
Antagonist muscles oppose or reverse
the movement of the prime mover.
Antagonists and prime movers are located (Prime Movers and Synergists, 2019)
opposite to each other on the sides of the joint on which they act.
When a prime mover muscle is active, the antagonist muscle is
relaxed. Antagonist muscles also provide resistance for the prime
mover muscle.
Fixator Muscles:
Fixator muscles serve as a stabilizer. They allow the prime
mover to work effectively by stabilizing the origin of the
prime mover muscle. They also have other roles such as
helping to maintain upright posture.
Attachment of Muscles:
Every muscle is attached to bone or other connective
tissue at two points; the muscle’s origin and the
muscle’s insertion.
Muscle origin refers to a muscle's proximal attachment,
and it is attached to the immovable bone. For example,
when looking at the biceps brachii, the tendon is
attached to the coracoid process, and is immobile.
Insertion refers to the muscle’s distal attachment and it
is attached to the moveable bone. During contractions,
insertion moves toward the origin. For instance, the
biceps brachii insertion occurs at the elbow.

Despite prime movers receiving most of the credit, antagonists have

important roles in muscle function such as maintaining body position
and controlling rapid movement.

Recall the example from

before of a person lifting
a cup. This is flexion, and
the antagonist muscle is
the triceps brachii on the
posterior side of the arm.
It is the antagonist
muscle to the biceps
brachii. (Biceps and Triceps Tendon Rupture, 2018)
(Biceps and Triceps, 2017)

Synergist Muscles: Movement:

Many muscles require assistance from other muscles to aid in
movement. The muscles that help are termed synergists.
Synergist muscles aid by promoting the same movement as the
prime mover, and reducing undesirable movements that may
occur during the contraction of the prime mover.
A great way to remember the role of synergist muscles is to
remember that synergy is the interaction of two or more “things”
to produce a combined effect and Synergist muscles help the
prime mover for an effect, which would be movement.
Body movement occurs when muscles contract across
joints. However, the type of movement is dependent on
the mobility of a joint and where the muscles are
located in relation to the joint. For example, the human
body has freely moveable joints such as fingers, toes,
hips, elbows, and knees. There are also less moveable
joints that can be tugged into motion by muscles such
as the movement of our vertebrae.

The muscles which operate the jaw, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle joints:
- In the jaw, closure is the work of the masseter and temporalis muscles.

- During flexion of the neck, the sternocleidomastoid is the prime mover, and the trapezius is the prime mover during extension.

- In the shoulder, the deltoid and pectoralis major are responsible for flexion, latissimus dorsi for extension, the deltoid for
abduction, the pectoralis major for adduction, and the serratus anterior for fixation.

- In the elbow, the prime movers include the biceps brachii during flexion and the triceps brachii during extension.

- The prime movers in the wrist include the anterior forearm muscles during flexion and the posterior forearm muscles during
extension.

- In the hip, the gluteus medius and minimus are fixator muscles, the gluteus medius and minimus are the prime movers for
abduction, adductor muscles are responsible for adduction, iliopsoas muscle for flexion and the gluteus maximus is the prime
mover for extension.

- In the knee, the hamstring is the prime mover during flexion and the quadriceps is the prime mover during extension.

- In the ankle, the posterior lower leg muscle is the prime mover for plantar flexion and anterior lower leg muscle is the prime
mover for dorsiflexion.

(Black, 2017) (Black, 2017)

 Cam Clip 6-Minnah S.
The gluteal group of Muscles that move the thigh are the gluteus
maximus, minimus, and medius.
● Gluteus maximus: these muscles run obliquely
○ Function: extends the thigh by rotating it outwards
● Gluteus medius: located between gluteus maximus and
(Muscles of the thorax for breathing and the pelvic floor (the diaphragm!), 2020)
gluteus minimus muscles
○ function: abducts thigh by rotating it medially Hiatus:
● Gluteus minimus function: abducts thigh & rotates the thigh ● Means an opening
medially ● Significance: sometimes stomach migrates
Diaphragm up into esophagus = hiatal hernia
● It separates our abdominal pelvic cavity ● The esophagus has an alkaline environment,
● It allows us to breathe by decreasing the size of the so the hiatal hernia may cause “acidic burps”
abdominopelvic cavity & increasing the size of the thoracic Abdominal muscles
cavity ● An arrangement of muscles; the layers &
● Our aorta, vena cava, and esophagus intersect the diaphragm fibers run in opposite directions
● Phrenic nerve: it stimulates the muscle fibres of the ○ because of this, the muscles
diaphragm support the internal organs &
○ The phrenic nerve comes from the back of our neck abdominal cavity
around the C3 vertebrae ○ think of layers of wood in a sheet of
○ Spinal fracture above this point=person might not be plywood
able to breathe & might need a ventilator or phrenic ● Located below the sternum & runs to the
pacer pelvic bone
Esophagus ● They aren’t attached to a bone, so they’re
● The esophagus is a skeletal muscle, but operates like smooth attached to the linea alba
muscle→ it’s automatic/involuntary ○ Linea alba: a tough band of
○ contracts about 12 times per minute connective tissue that provides for
attachment; it supports the rectus
sheaths that make up the rectus
abdominis muscles
● Abdominal muscles help us respirate,
defecate, urinate, vomit, and allow childbirth

(Cat, 2015)

(Diaphragmatic Paralysis 2.0 CE Hours | Florida

Nurses CEU / In-Services Hours, n.d.)
(Cardiovascular & GI System, n.d.)

Cam Clip 7- Elaine Reuben

How the muscle system supports and protects the pelvic and reproductive area
of the body
Part/Area General Info Male Anatomy Female Anatomy

Inguinal Canals
groin that form during
(Patton et al., 2012) Inguinal
Canals (outer layer) in
Male(above) and Female (below)
Anatomy both labeled 18
Bilateral areas in the Testicles descend Inguinal canals are very
through Inguinal Canals small
development before birth Contain nerves and the
Links scrotal cavities to round ligaments of the
the peritoneal cavity uterus
Contains nerves and Structure maintains
blood vessels strength of abdominal wall
Usually closed in adult Hernias are much less likely
males as canal is much smaller
Creates weak points in
(McGraw Hill Companies Inc. the abdominal wall
n.d.) Inguinal Canal (internal
structure) muscles
Common spot for
hernias

Pelvic Floor Muscles Involved (for Narrower Broader to better facilitate

Most important
component: levator ani
which forms pelvic
floor/diaphragm;
supports and elevates
the pelvic floor;
functions as an
antagonist to increase
in abdominal pressure
males and females) Only one orifice (anus) childbirth
Levator ani leading to stronger Three orifices (anus, vagina,
Superficial transverse pelvic floor structure urethra) leading to weaker
perinei than females. pelvic floor structure than
Bulbospongiosus Ischiocavernosus and males.
Ischiocavernosus bulbospongiosus help Ischiocavernosus and
maintain erection of bulbospongiosus help
penis maintain erection of clitoris
Levator ani weaken after
childbirth and with age.

(McGraw Hill Companies Inc., n.d.) Inferior View of Muscles in Pelvic Floor of
(Pearson Education Inc., 2002 ) Superior View of Muscles in Pelvic Male (left) and Female (right) Anatomy
Floor of Female Anatomy
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References
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Black, C. (2017, October 10). ANAT 1500 MUSCULAR CC5. YouTube. https://youtu.be/9I5he6VBuyk

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https://www.britannica.com/science/muscle/Actin-myosin-interaction-and-its-regulation

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