To wrap up the muscle series we are looking at neuromuscular junctions - the synapses between motor neurones and muscle fibre cells. This article will relate closely to the synapse article, but there are some differences between cholinergic synapses and neuromuscular junctions. Neuromuscular junction structure There are three main differences between neuromuscular junctions and a … Read more
Not all muscles are the same. In this article we will look at the three types of muscle: skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Skeletal muscle Skeletal muscle is under conscious control, so is sometimes called voluntary muscle. There are two types of skeletal muscle fibres: fast twitch and slow twitch. Fast twitch fibres … Read more
Muscle contraction requires a large amount of energy, meaning that a constant source of ATP is needed. In this article we will look at the three sources of ATP which muscle fibre cells can use. Phosphocreatine ATP has to be made by adding a phosphate group (Pi) to ADP. In the ATP-phosphocreatine system, the phosphate … Read more
Muscle contraction is a tricky bit of A-Level biology. There are lots of new terms to learn and a complex process to get your head around. Make sure to review it regularly so that it sticks in your brain. Before beginning this article, make sure you are happy with the different parts of a muscle … Read more
Muscle fibre cells are a great example of how animal cells can be highly specialised for their function. In this article we will look at the structure of muscle fibre cells and how it relates to their function. Muscle fibres cells - structure and function The below diagram shows a cross-section of a muscle fibre … Read more
Control of blood glucose is very important. Sufficient glucose must be delivered to cells for respiration, but too much glucose can eventually result in coma or even death. The concentration of glucose is affected by factors such as eating and exercise, and must be brought back to the normal level of about 4mmol/L to 5.5mmol/L. … Read more
