Lab Project: Build a Limb (Neuron Part)

For this portion of my lab project I will be constructing a sensory neuron, interneuron,
and motor neuron, as well as demonstrating a nerve impulse. I will show an axon in a
resting potential and action potential state, and be revealing the sliding filament model
found in muscle fibers. My goal of this presentation is to show the multiple steps
associated with muscle contractions. Some of the various products I will be using to
construct the neurons, demonstrate the sodium/potassium gates, and explain the
sliding filament model are pictured below.
Pic from Human
Biology Pg 229-34
A Little Background on Muscles
Skeleton muscles support the body, make bones move, helps maintain body temperature, assist cardiovascular
veins and lymphatic vessels, protects internal organs, and they stabilize joints. The muscles are compiled of
bundles of fiber called fascicles and are covered in connective tissue called fascia which becomes the tendon
beyond the muscle. The part of the muscle connected to bone that is stationary is known as origin; the part of the
muscle connected to bone that moves is known as insertion.

How does a Muscle Fiber Contract?

Contraction of muscle fibers (muscle cells) is from motor neuron
stimulation. Every motor neurons branch (axon branches) lies
close to muscle fibers sarcolemma (plasma membrane). This is
known as a neuromuscular junction. The end of the motor
neurons branch is known as an axon terminal and contain
acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) which are released via synaptic
vesicle when the axon terminal receives a nerve impulse. The
Ach binds to sarcolemma receptors which trigger the
sarcolemma to send impulses down the T tubules (branches off
sarcolemma that cause Ca²+ to release) to the sarcoplasmic
reticulum. Sarcomere contraction follows after the release of
calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
 Myelin Sheath The nervous system has 3 important
functions: to receive sensory input,
perform integration, and generate motor
output.
Nodes of Ranvier
Axon Neurons - cells responsible for transmission
Terminals of nerve impulses. Consist of a body
Motor Neuron with containing the nucleus and organelles,
orange Dendrites dendrites which are short extensions that
receive signals, and an axon which conducts
impulses. The 3 types of neurons are sensory
Axon neurons (transports impulses to CNS),
Sensory interneurons (receive messages and convey
Neuron
to motor neurons), and motor neurons
Cell Body
(transports impulses from CNS to muscle).
Sensory neurons detect changes in their
Interneuron with environment from sensory receptors.
purple Dendrites Long axons are covered by myelin sheath’s
which is a protective insulating phospholipid
layer composed of Myelin (80% lipid fat / 20%
protein). The gaps along axons where there is
Myelin Sheath made no myelin wrapped around it is called nodes
from Schwann Cells of Ranvier, named after Louis-Antoine
Ranvier who discovered it around 1878. A
neuroglia known as Schwann cells (contain
myelin in membrane) are responsible for the
Axon protection of long axons in the PNS, whereas
Sensory Receptors oligodendrocytes protect the long axon’s in
the CNS. Myelin gives a white appearance.
Different Types of Neurons:

A. Sensory neuron has a long axon

covered by a myelin sheath that takes
nerve impulses all the way from dendrites
to the CNS.
B. In the CNS, some interneurons, such
as this one, have a short axon that is not
covered by a myelin sheath.
C. A motor neuron has a long axon
covered by a myelin sheath that takes
nerve impulses from the CNS to an
effector.

Picture & Verbiage from Human Biology Page 249

 Nerve impulses send messages throughout the whole nervous system. An axon is either
resting or active; thus, they are either in the resting potential or the active potential state. A
voltmeter can record which state the nerve is in by measuring the negativity of the inside of
a neuron compared to its outside.
Resting Potential
• No impulse conducting within axon
• Inside more negative than outside
• About -60 to -70 millivolts
• Dissimilarity in ion dispersal on either side of membrane
• Dissimilar dispersal is due to sodium-potassium pump which
maintains appropriate concentrations of sodium and potassium
intracellular and extracellular

Pictures from Human Biology Pg 250

Action Potential
• Nerve impulses occur; change in polarity
• Inside less negative than outside
• About +40 millivolts
• Inward sodium exceeds outward potassium, causing
depolarization of membrane potential
• Threshold is reached around 15 millivolts above resting
membrane potential
• Repolarization occurs as potassium leaves axon

SEE MY DEMONSTRATION OF AN ACTION POTENTIAL!

Inside Axon
Nerve Impulse
1. This picture shows an axon in resting potential; having
a difference in sodium and potassium ions between the
Axonal outside and inside of the axon. Since the axon is not
Membrane conducting an impulse, the inside has a negative charge.

Inside Axon

Outside Axon
2. This picture shows an axon in
action potential. The sodium
gates have opened (red licorice)
and sodium (green licorice bits) is
Inside Axon
moving in to the axon. The
charge inside the axon is now
changing from negative to
positive (depolarization).

Outside Axon

3. This picture shows the action potential ending. The sodium gates
closed and the potassium gates have opened. Potassium is flowing
out of the axon causing the negative charge in the axon to return
(repolarization).

Outside Axon
 Pic from Human
Biology Pg 251
Propagation of an Action Potential
Action potentials can be transmitted
along the nodes by way of saltatory
conduction, where each action potential
generates another by jumping. To
ensure that nerve impulses (active
potentials) always travel down an axon
to the end, the axon undergoes a
refractory period where the sodium
gates cannot open.

4
 Pictures from Human Biology Pg 233

Sarcolemma: Plasma
Skeletal Muscle up Close
Membrane
Sarcoplasm: Cytoplasm;
contains organelles, glycogen
(energy) and myoglobin (stores
oxygen).
Sarcoplasmic Reticulum:
Endoplasmic Reticulum
T Tubule: Tubes that dip into
muscle fibers sarcoplasm to
contact reticulum with impulses
(for Ca²+ release).
Myofibrils: Contractile parts of
fibers, encased by reticulum.

In each myofibril are sarcomeres between two

lines (z lines) and contain two protein
myofilaments: thick filament (myosin) and thin
filament (actin). The I band contains only actin,
the H zone contains only myosin, the A band
contains both overlapping.

SEE MY MUSCLE FIBER MODEL ON THE

NEXT SLIDE!
 Skeletal Muscle Fiber
Sarcolemma: white grip shelf liner

T tubule: blue licorice

Skeletal Muscle
Fiber
One Myofibril

Pic from Human Myofibrils:

Biology Pg 229
yellow and
Nucleus: red Life
orange licorice
Savers

Sarcoplasmic reticulum
(responsible for calcium
release): paper towel
cardboard
Muscle Contractions Start with Sarcomeres

SEE THE NEXT SLIDE TO VIEW MY

SARCOMERE MODEL!
 Actin Myosin Sarcomere has shortened due to myofibril contracting

Cross-bridge The thick filaments are constructed from

Z Line Myosin molecules of a protein called myosin.
Each sarcomeres has globular heads
extending out the ends but not in the
One
middle. These extensions are known as
Myofibril cross-bridge. The thin filaments are
constructed from intertwining strands of
the protein called actin. Once broken
down by myosin, ATP supplies the
Actin necessary energy for contraction. The
cross-bridges on myosin pull actin
1. Impulse travels down T tubules towards the center. This process is
2. Sarcoplasmic reticulum releases calcium known as the sliding filament model.

3. Muscle fibers contract; sarcomeres/myofibrils shorten (thin filament slides past thick filament).
Pic from Human
Biology Pg 235
Taking a closer look at the ACTIN filament!

When the sarcoplasmic reticulum releases Ca²+ it binds with troponin, a protein found along the actin
filament. Once the binding occurs between the Ca²+ and troponin, the protein threads called
tropomyosin shift on the actin filament exposing the myosin binding sites. This process now allows
myosin and actin to bind.

Troponin Ca²+
Myosin Binding
Sites

Actin Filament Tropomyosin

Once the myosin binding sites are exposed ATP is hydrolyzed to the myosin head. The ATP is then
split into ADP and P (phosphate) allowing the myosin heads to attach to the actin’s binding sites
forming the cross-bridges. Once the ADP and P are released, the cross-bridges bend and pull the
actin filaments inwards. This is known as the power stroke. The cross-bridges are broken when the
myosin head binds to ATP molecules again.
 Conclusion

In this part of my lab experiment I have explained what a muscle is composed of

and the steps involved with how a muscle contracts. I have broken down a neuron
and explained the function of its axon, the function of sodium and potassium in an
action potential, and the propagation of an action potential along the axon. I have
demonstrated a muscle cell, its components, and how the components contribute
to the process of muscle contraction. This was a fun and informational part of the
lab project, and I believe it will help give a better understanding of moveable limb
portion of the lab which is coming up soon!