Abstract
Both skeletal and cardiac muscles show a steep force-pCa relationship indicative of cooperative activation, but there are differences in some of the underlying mechanisms of this cooperativity. As we have discussed previously (Gordon et al, 2000), these give rise to significant differences in the properties of skeletal and cardiac muscle that are important for their various physiological roles and methods of control. Cardiac contractions occur spontaneously and rhythmically, driven by the cardiac pacemaker cells in the SA node, with spread of electrical activity from cell to cell. This activates cardiac cells in sequence to eject blood allowing the heart to function as a periodic pump. Since each cell contracts on each beat, variations in cardiac output occur with variations in heart rate and the strength of contraction on each beat. Through intrinsic and extrinsic regulation via the autonomic nervous system, the rate and strength of each contraction can be regulated to meet the circulatory needs. In contrast, skeletal muscle contraction is controlled through the central nervous system as motor units, defined as a motoneuron and the muscle fibers it innervates. Although force varies with frequency of stimulation of each motor unit, the major means of regulation is by recruitment of motor units, a mechanism unavailable to the heart cells.
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© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Gordon, A.M., Rivera, A.J., Wang, CK., Regnier, M. (2003). Cooperative Activation of Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle. In: Sugi, H. (eds) Molecular and Cellular Aspects of Muscle Contraction. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 538. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9029-7_34
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9029-7_34
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