Muscular contraction, biochemistry

D. M. Needham, Machina Carnis the Biochemistry of Muscular Contraction in its Historical Development, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1971. 

The violent muscular activity has other side-effects which, if the victim survives the convulsions, can hinder recovery and cause serious long-term damage. These effects, which result both from the biochemistry underl)dng muscular contraction and the mechanical damage to which the straining muscles are subjected, include ... 

FIGURE 8.5 Activation of a neuromuscular junction that causes muscular contraction. The sequence of the ions movements is indicated by the numbers near each ion. A flow of Ca " into the neuron (1) causes the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is taken up by receptors on the muscle cell. This acetylcholine uptake in turn creates Na+ and K" " ion currents (2, 3), followed by Ca release from one of the muscle cell s compartments into the muscle cell (4). The Ca " " release subsequently induces the motion of proteins within the muscle cell, giving rise to the muscles contraction. Adapted from Figure 8.23 in M. K. Campbell, Biochemistry, 2nd Ed., 1995, Saunders College Publishers. 

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