Biomaterial Database

Calcium transients and relaxation in single muscle fibers. 1978

A M Gordon, and E B Ridgway

Muscle contraction is initiated by an elevation in intracellular calcium. The transient change in free calcium to a brief depolarization, the calcium transient, can be recorded using a calcium luminescent protein, aequorin. The calcium transient precedes force, peaking while force is rising and returning to the resting level as peak force is achieved. In single barnacle muscle fibers microinjected with aequorin, shortening the muscle during the declining phase of the calcium transient produces an addition light signal, indicating extra free calcium in the sarcoplasm. The amount of additional light is larger with larger length changes. It is also larger if the shortening occurs early in the calcium transient rather than later. The amount of this extra calcium correlates well with the instantaneous level of the calcium transient and not with the instantaneous force level. It is argued in a speculative manner that this extra calcium is coming from the myofilaments. This supports the hypothesis that calcium binding to the myofilaments is rapid and reversible, that reaccumulation of calcium into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) could occur long before relaxation begins and that relaxation of tension could occur by some process other than the mere removal of calcium from the myofilaments.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008163	Luminescent Measurements	Techniques used for determining the values of photometric parameters of light resulting from LUMINESCENCE.	Bioluminescence Measurements,Bioluminescent Assays,Bioluminescent Measurements,Chemiluminescence Measurements,Chemiluminescent Assays,Chemiluminescent Measurements,Chemoluminescence Measurements,Luminescence Measurements,Luminescent Assays,Luminescent Techniques,Phosphorescence Measurements,Phosphorescent Assays,Phosphorescent Measurements,Assay, Bioluminescent,Assay, Chemiluminescent,Assay, Luminescent,Assay, Phosphorescent,Assays, Bioluminescent,Assays, Chemiluminescent,Assays, Luminescent,Assays, Phosphorescent,Bioluminescence Measurement,Bioluminescent Assay,Bioluminescent Measurement,Chemiluminescence Measurement,Chemiluminescent Assay,Chemiluminescent Measurement,Chemoluminescence Measurement,Luminescence Measurement,Luminescent Assay,Luminescent Measurement,Luminescent Technique,Measurement, Bioluminescence,Measurement, Bioluminescent,Measurement, Chemiluminescence,Measurement, Chemiluminescent,Measurement, Chemoluminescence,Measurement, Luminescence,Measurement, Luminescent,Measurement, Phosphorescence,Measurement, Phosphorescent,Measurements, Bioluminescence,Measurements, Bioluminescent,Measurements, Chemiluminescence,Measurements, Chemiluminescent,Measurements, Chemoluminescence,Measurements, Luminescence,Measurements, Luminescent,Measurements, Phosphorescence,Measurements, Phosphorescent,Phosphorescence Measurement,Phosphorescent Assay,Phosphorescent Measurement,Technique, Luminescent,Techniques, Luminescent
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009126	Muscle Relaxation	That phase of a muscle twitch during which a muscle returns to a resting position.	Muscle Relaxations,Relaxation, Muscle,Relaxations, Muscle
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D000331	Aequorin	A photoprotein isolated from the bioluminescent jellyfish Aequorea. It emits visible light by an intramolecular reaction when a trace amount of calcium ion is added. The light-emitting moiety in the bioluminescence reaction is believed to be 2-amino-3-benzyl-5-(p-hydroxyphenyl)pyrazine (AF-350).	Aequorine
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001468	Thoracica	A superorder of marine CRUSTACEA, free swimming in the larval state, but permanently fixed as adults. There are some 800 described species, grouped in several genera, and comprising of two major orders of barnacles: stalked (Pedunculata) and sessile (Sessilia).	Balanus,Barnacles,Pedunculata,Sessilia,Barnacle,Pedunculatas,Sessilias,Thoracicas