Calcium in Muscle Contraction: Cellular and Molecular Physiology [Paperback]

Recent years have witnessed an explosion of knowledge lea-ding to a molecular understanding of the mechanisms of ac-tion of calcium on excitation and contraction coupling andits role in the regulation of contractility. This bookhighlights the most recent progress as well as providing ahistorial perspective of the field. It presents a conciseand comprehensive overview of our current knowledge regar-ding calcium channels and regulatory proteins as well as in-tracellular calcium handling and the mechanisms underlyingthe activation of contractile proteins. It also describeshow these basic mechanisms have been adapted in varioustypes of muscle, especially in cardiac and smooth muscle.Recent years have witnessed an explosion of knowledge lea-ding to a molecular understanding of the mechanisms of ac-tion of calcium on excitation and contraction coupling andits role in the regulation of contractility. This bookhighlights the most recent progress as well as providing ahistorial perspective of the field. It presents a conciseand comprehensive overview of our current knowledge regar-ding calcium channels and regulatory proteins as well as in-tracellular calcium handling and the mechanisms underlyingthe activation of contractile proteins. It also describeshow these basic mechanisms have been adapted in varioustypes of muscle, especially in cardiac and smooth muscle.1. Muscle Excitation and Contraction.- 1.1 Muscle Excitation.- 1.2 Electromechanical Coupling.- 1.2.1 The Role of Membrane Depolarization.- 1.2.2 The Importance of Calcium.- 1.3 The Contractile Process.- 1.3.1 Characteristics of Activation.- 1.3.2 The Contractile ATPase.- 1.3.3 Actin-Myosin Interaction in Muscle Contraction.- 1.3.4 The Cessation of Contraction: Relaxation.- 2. The Sarcoplasmic Reticulum: Storage and Release of Calcium.- 2.1 Inward Spread of Excitation in the Transverse System (T-System).- 2.1.1 Local-Activatlã+