Chapter 10.3, Problem 15LO

Summary Introduction

To describe: The steps in excitation–contraction coupling.

Concept introduction: During skeletal muscle contraction, a motor neuron stimulates the skeletal muscle fibers. The stimulation of skeletal muscle fibers ultimately causes the interaction between the myofilaments within the skeletal muscle fibers to produce a surface tension between the muscles. The first event in the contraction of the skeletal muscle is excitation of the muscle fiber by somatic motor neuron. This event occurs at the neuromuscular junction and results in the release of ACh with its subsequent binding with ACh receptors.