17. Rigor mortis develops a. only in smooth muscle. b. in response to a depletion of calcium in the sarcomere. c. in response to a buildup of lactic acid and cre- atine phosphate. d. in response to a deficiency of ATP.
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Step 1: Rigor mortis is the stiffening of muscles after death due to the depletion of ATP, which is needed for muscle relaxation. Show more…
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Rigor mortis is a muscle stiffening that sets in a few hours after death. It is due to muscles being in a contracted state. It dissipates after several days as muscle proteins degenerate and cells break down. Rigor mortis is one sign that coroners take into account when estimating a time of death. At a cellular level, what is the mechanism behind rigor mortis? Choose one: A. After death, membranes become leaky, and sodium flowing into motor neurons triggers action potentials that contract muscles. B. After death, ATP production ceases and ATP is needed for myosin release from actin C. After death, calcium ions are no longer available to bind troponin D. In the absence of ATP, kinesin and dynein no longer move along microtubules and remain locked in place.
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Which of the following accurately describes what is happening in muscle cells when rigor mortis occurs? (Reminder: 'Rigor mortis' is a term describing when the muscles of the body become stiff after death): Excess ATP leads myosin head to fail to dissociate from actin microfilament. Lack of ATP leads myosin head to fail to dissociate from actin microfilament. Myosin head fails to dissociate from actin microfilament. Lack of ATP leads head to dissociate from microtubule. Excess ATP leads myosin head to dissociate from actin microfilament.
When a person dies, muscles become rigid and fixed in position, a condition known as rigor mortis. Rigor mortis occurs because muscle cells are no longer supplied with ATP. Also, calcium flows freely into dying cells. Explain, in terms of the mechanism of muscle contraction described in this chapter, why the presence of calcium and the lack of ATP would cause muscles to become rigid, instead of being relaxed after death.
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