Types and Characteristics of Muscles - Lab Report Example

Types and Characteristics of Muscles Types and Characteristics of Muscles Question Research asserts that there are three types of muscles, which are located in the human body. These muscles include the cardiac, smooth and skeletal muscles. The skeletal muscles join bones and also facilitate the movement of the skeleton. Smooth muscles (involuntary muscles) are restrained from movement. They are found in various organs including the stomach, respiratory system and circulatory system among other organs (Marieb & Hoehn, 2008).

On the other hand, the cardiac muscles control the autonomic nervous system. These muscles are located in the heart.Question #2The muscle tissue has the capability of relaxing and contracting hence; bringing about movement in various parts of the body. These movements include the heart beat and movements within the abdominal region. Muscle tissues also help the veins and lymph system to enable the circulation of blood in the body. This is normally achieved by the cardiac muscle tissue. The skeletal muscle tissue is involved in respiration (Marieb & Hoehn, 2008).

These muscles also enhance the movement of tissues which allow an individual to make various facial expressions. In this category, there are three types of muscle tissue, which include the smooth muscle tissue, cardiac muscle tissue and the skeletal muscle tissue. Question #3There are several similarities and differences which are considered when comparing smooth and skeletal muscles. In both muscles, the reactions are mainly caused by impulses in the membrane and the augmenting of intracellular calcium ions.

They also gain their energy from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) (Marieb & Hoehn, 2008). On the other hand, the smooth muscles relax and contract slowly as compared to the skeletal muscles. It is also observed that the smooth muscles have the ability to change their length without any change in tautness. However, this is not the case in the skeletal muscles.Question #4The contraction of a muscle usually takes place in a strategic manner. This is explained in the sliding filament theory. When an electrical impulse moves to the sarcolemma through the motor neurone, the neurotransmitters diffuse across the neuromuscular junction and bind the receptors in the muscle cell membrane.

This facilitates depolarization hence; the calcium ions move out of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and bond with troponin on the actin filaments. This also facilitates the movement of tropomyosin and the myosin head binds to the actin filament. This facilitates contraction of the muscle. The neuromuscular junction is the region where the axons of motor nerves meet the muscle and ensure transmission of messages from the brain to enable muscle contraction and relaxation (Marieb & Hoehn, 2008). Question #5Action potential is described as a short event whereby the electrical membrane of a cell rises or falls due to a constant trajectory.

These action potentials are majorly caused by specific voltage-gated ions which are normally embedded in a cell’s plasma membrane. Research asserts that these channels are closed when membrane potential is close to the resting potential of a cell (Marieb & Hoehn, 2008).ReferenceMarieb, E., & Hoehn, K. (2008). Human anatomy and physiology (8th ed.). United States: Benjamin-Cummings Publishers.