Muscle Tissue and Contraction

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to muscle tissue and contraction.

Myology

The study of muscles.

Excitability

The capacity of a muscle to respond to a stimulus.

Conductivity

The ability to propagate electrical signals over a membrane.

Contractility

The ability of a muscle to shorten or exhibit force.

Extensibility

The ability of a muscle to be stretched beyond its normal resting length.

Elasticity

The ability of a muscle to recoil after being stretched beyond its normal length.

Skeletal Muscle

Muscle attached to bones, under voluntary control, striated appearance.

Cardiac Muscle

Muscle found in the heart, striated and involuntary, capable of autorhythmic contraction.

Smooth Muscle

Non-striated, involuntary muscle found in walls of hollow organs.

Tendons

Connective tissues that attach muscle to bone.

Aponeurosis

A broad flat tendon.

Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ)

The synapse or junction between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

The neurotransmitter released at the NMJ that triggers muscle contraction.

Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR)

The specialized endoplasmic reticulum in muscle fibers that stores calcium ions.

Calcium Ions (Ca+2)

Essential ions that bind to troponin to initiate muscle contraction.

Muscle Contraction Cycle

The sequence of events that lead to muscle shortening and force generation.

Rigor Mortis

Muscular rigidity that occurs post-mortem due to the inability of myosin heads to detach from actin.

Muscle Fatigue

Inability to contract after prolonged activity due to various factors.

Myasthenia Gravis

An autoimmune disorder that blocks ACh receptors, leading to muscle weakness.

Muscular Dystrophies

Inherited diseases characterized by progressive muscle weakening and degeneration.