Communications: Principles
Often, human biological systems (nervous, musculoskeletal circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and renal systems) are thought of as distinct processes. While it may be easier to study them separately, it is important to recognize the remarkable way in which they are connected. These systems work together allowing you to jump out of bed, eat a hearty breakfast, and race to catch the bus so you arrive on time for your HK* 2810 lecture. To study the complexity of human physiology you must first understand the basic principles of communication that facilitate the integration of systems within the body. In this chapter, you examine different types of membrane transport, propagation of action potentials, types of synapses, and how a muscle contraction is stimulated.
Here is a list of subchapters that will direct you to the corresponding page:
- Membrane Transport
- Bioelectricity
- Action Potentials
- Overcoming the Space Between Cells
- Muscle Contraction
- Skeletal Muscle Biophysical Characteristics
- Chapter Review
Chapter Learning Outcomes
- Describe the mechanisms responsible for transporting molecules and ions across the cell membrane.
- Understand the mechanisms that constitute a resting membrane potential of −70 millivolts (mV), and how to calculate membrane potentials during different magnitudes of excitation.
- Apply your knowledge of bioelectricity to the propagation of an action potential to enable intercellular communication (different cells to communicate).
- Understand and describe the sequence of events that takes place at neuromuscular and nerve-nerve junctions to form a synapse and overcome space between cells.
- Compare and contrast skeletal and smooth muscle contractions.
- Understand the functional organization of muscle fibers, and integrate knowledge to interpret different relationships between muscle characteristics and how they affect force outputs.
Communication: Principles Podcast
The podcast and paired transcript for this chapter will summarize the key concepts of each subchapter and provide helpful insight as well as examples that could be useful while studying. The podcast does not describe all of the content from this chapter, but it highlights the tricky concepts to hopefully make them clearer. When learning elaborate processes comparing muscle contraction it is commonly recommended to have a conversation with a classmate to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between all the different variables. Listening to this podcast will feel like a discussion with a classmate, which could be a great way to review for tests!
The following list of hyperlinks will take you to each of the topics discussed in the podcast:
- Membrane Transport and Electrochemical Gradient
- Tips From Past Students: With or Against the Concentration Gradient
- Primary Active Transport
- Secondary Active Transport
- Bioelectricity: Resting Membrane Potential
- Goldman Equation
- Nernst Equation
- Action Potential
- Refractory Periods
- Myelination of Neurons
- Local Current
- Nerve to Skeletal Muscle Synapses (Chemical Synapses)
- Nerve to Nerve Synapses
- Metabotropic Chemical Synapses
- Muscle Contraction: Calcium Sources
- Skeletal Muscle Contraction