Physiology of Excitable Tissues

At the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. list the steps in excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle; 2. describe the structure of the neuromuscular junction; 3. list some intracellular factors that can cause muscle fatigue; 4. describe the distinguishing characteristics of multi-unit and unitary smooth muscles; 5. explain the steps in the excitation-contraction coupling mechanism in cardiac muscle and compare with skeletal muscle including different mechanisms for sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release; 6. explain how the resting membrane potential is generated 7. state the Nernst equation, and indicate how this equation accounts for both the chemical and electrical driving forces that act on an ion; 8. discuss the mechanisms by which an action potential is propagated along both nonmyelinated and myelinated axons; 9. describe the principle of the voltage clamp and how it is used to identify the ionic selectivity of channels; and 10. discuss the disorders that can occur at the neuromuscular junction.

Structure and functions of nerves, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle and skeletal muscle, Muscles: structure, excitation, theories of excitation-contraction. Membrane potentials. Nerve generation and conduction of impulse and its physiological properties. Synapses and synaptic transmission