MUSCULAR SYSTEM

PART 2

FAST VERSUS SLOW MUSCLE FIBERS

 Every muscle of the body is composed of a mixture of so-called fast and slow muscle
fibers, with still other fibers gradated between these two extremes. Muscles that react
rapidly, including the anterior tibialis, are composed mainly of “fast” fibers with only
small numbers of the slow variety. Conversely, muscles such as soleus that respond
slowly but with prolonged contraction are composed mainly of “slow” fibers. The
differences between these two types of fibers are described in the following sections.
 Slow Fibers (Type 1, Red Muscle).
 The following are characteristics of slow fibers:
 1. Slow fibers are smaller than fast fibers.
 2. Slow fibers are also innervated by smaller nerve fibers.
 3. Compared with fast fibers, slow fibers have a more extensive blood vessel system
and more capillaries to supply extra amounts of oxygen.
 4. Slow fibers have greatly increased numbers of mitochondria to support high levels
of oxidative metabolism.
 5. Slow fibers contain large amounts of myoglobin, an iron-containing protein similar
to hemoglobin in red blood cells. Myoglobin combines with oxygen and stores it until
needed, which also greatly speeds oxygen transport to the mitochondria. The
myoglobin gives the slow muscle a reddish appearance and hence the name red
muscle.
FAST VERSUS SLOW MUSCLE FIBERS
 Fast Fibers (Type II, White Muscle).
 The following are characteristics of fast fibers:
 1. Fast fibers are large for great strength of contraction.
 2. An extensive sarcoplasmic reticulum is present for rapid release
of calcium ions to initiate contraction.
 3. Large amounts of glycolytic enzymes are present for rapid release
of energy by the glycolytic process.
 4. Fast fibers have a less extensive blood supply than do slow fibers
because oxidative metabolism is of secondary importance.
 5. Fast fibers have fewer mitochondria than do slow fibers, also
because oxidative metabolism is secondary. A deficit of red
myoglobin in fast muscle gives it the name white muscle.
SUMMATION OF CONTRACTION
 The muscle convert the electrical energy to mechanical energy, so
summation means adding together of individual contractions.
 In the muscle, a group of muscle fibers supplied by a single axon, called
motor unit.
 If we apply a stimulus to skeletal muscle, we gain simple muscle
twitch.(muscle contraction followed by relaxation).
 If we increase the strength of continuous stimulus, increasing the
number of motor units contracting by increase the magnitude of
stimulus.( 2 impulses/ ms < 3 impulses/ms < 4 stimulus/ ms). This is
called Multiple- motor units summation( spatial summation).There
will be increase in the number of motor units contractions.
 If the duration of simple muscle twitch is 1ms,so if we apply 2
stimulus/ms (same strength of stimulus), the second contraction stronger
than the first one, and so on, because the Ca+ remain in the sarcoplasm,
and the muscle not relax ( no refractory period), the curve will continue
as a wave until we stop stimulus. Wave summation(temporal
summation). There will be increase in the number of contraction for the
same motor units in a constant period, the tension will increase because
there will be accumulation of Ca+ in the sarcoplasm, not return to
sarcoplasmic reticulum.
 When there is continues contractions without relaxations, the condition
called complete tetanus.
 PHYSIOLOGY OF SMOOTH MUSCLE:
 They are called Unstriated, involuntary muscle, they
are of two types:
 1.Visceral smooth muscle.
 2. Multi units smooth muscle.
 In visceral smooth muscle: the muscle fibers are spindle-
shaped cells that are held in close contact by gap
junctions, and attached to each other to present in a
sheet, so that if we give stimulus to one muscle fiber, the
stimulus will spread to other muscle fibers, so it has
syncytiam character, so that the whole sheet will
contract as one unit, therefore, the visceral smooth
muscle also called single unit smooth muscle, which form
about 99% of the smooth muscles in the body, the
contraction is called syncytial contraction.
 In multi unit smooth muscles: The muscle fibers each one
contracts individually, and have a single axon e.g. the
muscle surround the iris of the eye to control the opening
of the pupil
  IN SMOOTH MUSCLES:
 1- There is no well developed
sarcoplasmic reticulum.
 2- Actin and myosin filaments are
distributed randomly.
 3- Has no troponin, but contain
calmodulin, which got the same function of
troponin C in skeletal muscle.
 4- The myosin is the same but it got an
enzyme called myosin light chain kinase,
(convert ATP→ ADP +energy), and it
also got cross bridges .

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF SMOOTH MUSCLE

 Resting membrane potential:
 The resting membrane potential of smooth muscle is un stable and fluctuated
and vary from(-55mv to -50mv), there is unstable Na+-K+ pump and it can be
hyper active or hypo active i.e. waxing (activation) or wanning (inhibition) of Na+-
K+ pump lead to slow wave rhythm, that occur at regular intervals and
considered as electronic potential.
 Smooth muscle under normal condition can produce:

 Action potential by nerve stimulus.

 Spontaneous action potential without stimulus because of prolonged inhibition of
Na+- K+ pump that may cause the potential to reach(-45mv) which is the firing level,
and cause action potential spontaneously.
 The myoneural junction of smooth muscle, the smooth muscle receive nerve
impulses from:
 Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve supply, so the neurotransmitters either :
 1}.excitatory ( acetyl choline) in parasympathetic stimulation. Acetyl choline will
attach to receptors and lead to opening of Na+ channels, Na+ will enter the cell and
initiate action potential.
 2} .inhibitory ( nor adrenaline and nor epinephrine)in sympathetic stimulation.
 There will be opening to Cl- channels, and Cl- will enter to the cell or opening of K+
channels and K+ get outside the cell, both cause hyper polarization, and inhibition to
the muscle
 Smooth muscle contraction resembles skeletal muscle
contraction in a number of ways, both mechanisms reflect
reactions of actin and myosin; both are triggered by
membrane impulses and release of calcium ions; both
use energy from ATP molecules.
 There are significant differences: smooth muscle fibers
lack troponin, instead, it use a protein called calmodulin,
which bind to calcium ions released when it is fibers are
stimulated, thus actin- myosin contraction mechanism
activating. The calcium necessary for smooth muscle
contraction diffuses into the cell from the extra cellular
fluid.
 Smooth muscle is slower to contract and slower to relax
than skeletal muscle, and can maintain a forceful
contraction for a longer time with the same amount of
ATP.
 Smooth muscle fibers can change length without
changing tautness; stretching of smooth muscle fibers
can also trigger contractions. The ability of smooth
muscle to make it is tension constant despite the change
 Types of smooth muscle contraction:
 1.Rhythmic contraction (rhythmicity): a
pattern of repeated contractions, this caused
by self- exciting fibers that deliver
spontaneous impulses that transmitted from
cell to cell and rhythmicity responsible for the
wavelike motion called peristalsis(alterate
contraction and relaxation) e.g. in GIT.
 2.Tonic contraction: continuous contraction
of smooth muscle, this type is found in the
sphincters and wall of blood vessels.