Chapter 9, Problem 9CT

Summary Introduction

Case summary:

A hypothetical situation is provided in which the muscle which is exhibiting rigor mortis is provided with sudden increase in the ATP concentration.

Adequate information:

Rigor mortis is the condition in which the muscle cells are not able to relax due to fall in the ATP levels. If ATP is provides, the cells might get back to the relaxed state with several other changes.

To determine:

The response to the sudden increase in ATP while the body is exhibiting rigor mortis.

Given information:

A situation that shows increase in ATP concentration in a muscle that exhibits rigor mortis.

Introduction:

The binding of ATP with the myosin filaments does not occur due to too little ATP in the muscle. This leads to a state where no contraction of the muscle can take place. This happens because the actin-myosin cross-bridge is not released as there is no binding of ATP as the myosin heads. The same condition occurs when the muscles of a dead person do not contract or relax which leads to the rigidity of the muscles. This condition is known as the rigor mortis.