Some elements exist naturally as molecules. For example, hydrogen and oxygen exist as two-atom molecules.

TLS Online TPP Program

#Id: 8403

#Unit 2. Cellular Organization

AP activates a  voltage gated Ca2+ channel in the T-tubule membrane, it triggers the opening of a Ca2+ -release channel in the closely associated SR membrane

TLS Online TPP Program

#Id: 8404

#Unit 2. Cellular Organization

The increase in Ca2+ concentration is transient because the Ca2+ is rapidly pumped back into the SR by an abundant, Ca2+ ATPase.

TLS Online TPP Program

#Id: 8405

#Unit 2. Cellular Organization

Muscle contraction depends on two processes that consume enormous amounts of ATP: 

1. Filament sliding, driven by the ATPase of the myosin

2. Ca2+ pumping, driven by the Ca2+ ATPase

TLS Online TPP Program

#Id: 8406

#Unit 2. Cellular Organization

Vertebrate skeletal muscle contraction, also depends on set of specialized accessory proteins that are closely associated with the actin thin filaments:

a) Tropomyosin

b) Troponin

TLS Online TPP Program

#Id: 8408

#Unit 2. Cellular Organization

Tropomyosin (TM) is a ropelike molecule, about 40 nm in length, binds to 7 actin subunits in an actin filament.

TLS Online TPP Program

#Id: 8409

#Unit 2. Cellular Organization

Troponin, a complex of three polypeptides, 

TN-T (tropomyosin-binding)

TN-I  (inhibitory)

TN-C (Ca2+-binding)