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Multiple Choice
What role does calcium play within the muscle fiber during muscle contraction?
A
It binds to troponin, allowing actin and myosin to interact.
B
It transports oxygen to the muscle cells.
C
It breaks down ATP to release energy.
D
It provides energy for the contraction process.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the structure of a muscle fiber: Muscle fibers contain myofibrils, which are composed of repeating units called sarcomeres. Sarcomeres are the functional units of muscle contraction and contain the proteins actin and myosin.
Learn about the role of calcium in muscle contraction: Calcium ions (Ca²⁺) are crucial for initiating muscle contraction. They are stored in the sarcoplasmic reticulum within the muscle cell and are released into the cytoplasm when a muscle is stimulated to contract.
Explore the interaction between calcium and troponin: When calcium ions are released, they bind to a protein called troponin, which is part of the thin filament in the sarcomere. This binding causes a conformational change in troponin.
Understand the effect of calcium binding on actin and myosin interaction: The conformational change in troponin moves another protein, tropomyosin, away from the binding sites on actin. This exposure allows the myosin heads to attach to actin, forming cross-bridges.
Recognize the importance of calcium in the contraction cycle: The binding of myosin to actin, facilitated by calcium, is essential for the sliding filament mechanism of muscle contraction, where myosin heads pull actin filaments toward the center of the sarcomere, shortening the muscle fiber.