Muscle cells are specialized for a single task, contraction; cellular structures such as the plasma membrane, specialized

endoplasmic reticulum, cytoskeleton elements, and mitochondria, work together to make it happen. First, the cytoskeleton elements are microfilaments made up of proteins like actin and myosin. Myosin is a thick filament and actin is a thin filament. Myosin has a long, fibrous tail and a globular head, which binds to actin. The myosin head also binds to ATP, and the ATP is hydrolyzed by the myosin molecule to produce the energy required for muscle contraction. Myosin can only bind to actin when the binding sites on actin are exposed by calcium ions. Each filament is structured as a chain of contractile units called sarcomeres. For muscle cells to contract, the actin and myosin must attach and form cross bridges. The mutual sliding of these filaments causes the muscle to shorten. When a muscle isnt contracting, a protein called tropomyosin is wrapped around the actin filaments, blocking the myosin binding sites. When calcium ions are introduced to the cell, another protein called troponin binds to the calcium. Once the troponin and calcium ions bond, it alters the position of tropomyosin on the actin filament. This change its position,// exposes the actin sites allowing cross bridges to attach again. Also, the plasma membrane, or sarcolemma, is the receptor site for neurotransmitters. Activation of the receptors opens sodium channels and increases the membranes permeability to sodium. Sodium comes into the cell and potassium comes out. This is depolarization, and causes a change in the cell charge. If a certain threshold is reached from the change in charge, action potential is triggered. The action potential sweeps across the sarcolemma into T-tubules, infoldings in the plasma membrane, which triggers the release of calcium ions. The calcium ions then are used with the cytoskeleton elements to achieve muscle contraction. The ER in muscle cells is called the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Here is where calcium ions are stored. When released, the calcium ions cause contractions, and when actively transported back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum, the muscle relaxes. Lastly, the Mitochondria are the sites of cellular respiration, the process of creating cell energy. They produce ATP to provide cells with the

necessary energy to carry out muscle contractions. Much energy is required for muscle contractions; therefore, the high amount of energy required by muscle cells can be provided by a large number of mitochondria in the cell. If not enough ATP is being supplied to the muscle cells, glycogen (animal starch), can be broken down to provide more energy. In summation, the plasma membrane, mitochondria, cytoskeleton elements, and the ER, all work together to allow muscle cells to contract. The plasma membrane leads to the release of action potential which triggers the release of calcium ions, which are stored in the ER. The calcium ions are needed in the process involving the cytoskeleton elements. The cytoskeleton elements cant ultimately achieve muscle contraction without the energy provided by the mitochondria; therefore, all parts are needed for muscle contraction.