What does EC coupling stand for?

Cardiac excitation-contraction coupling
Cardiac excitation-contraction coupling (Cardiac EC coupling) describes the series of events, from the production of an electrical impulse (action potential) to the contraction of muscles in the heart.

What are the steps of EC coupling?

Terms in this set (6)

Action potential spread along the sarcolemma to the T-tubules (transverse tubules)
Calcium is released into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (S.R.)
Calcium binds to actin and the blocking action of the tropomyosin is removed.
Myosin heads attach to begin contraction.

What is the order of excitation-contraction coupling?

The EC-coupling cycle involves the following sequence of events: (1) depolarization of the plasma membrane and its membrane invaginations (the t-tubular system) by an action potential; (2) transduction of the depolarization signal to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane; (3) activation of Ca2+ release from the SR …

What is excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle?

Excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling refers to the series of events that link the action potential (excitation) of the muscle cell membrane (the sarcolemma) to muscular contraction. This is a brief review of cardiac excitation (the myocardial action potential) followed by a description of muscular contraction.

Where does EC coupling occur?

First coined by Alexander Sandow in 1952, the term excitation–contraction coupling (ECC) describes the rapid communication between electrical events occurring in the plasma membrane of skeletal muscle fibres and Ca2+ release from the SR, which leads to contraction.

Is the heart self excitatory?

Some cardiac fibers have the capability of self-excitation, a process that can cause automatic rhythmical discharge and contraction. This is especially true of the fibers of the heart’s specialized conducting system, including the fibers of the sinus node.

What is the process of excitation?

Excitation–contraction coupling is the physiological process of converting an electrical stimulus to a mechanical response. It is the link (transduction) between the action potential generated in the sarcolemma and the start of a muscle contraction.

What are the steps of excitation?

The sequence of events in twitch skeletal muscle involves: (1) initiation and propagation of an action potential along the plasma membrane, (2) spread of the potential throughout the transverse tubule system (T-tubule system), (3) dihydropyridine receptors (DHPR)-mediated detection of changes in membrane potential, (4) …