GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY LAB

BIO 192.2

LABORATORY ACTIVITY NO. 3

MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM

GROUP 3

BACONGCO, Angelbert R.
DATO-ON, Vanessa Pearl B.
PALOMO, Jason Vann A.
RELLON, Vladimir C,
VINSON, Nidelli S.

INTRODUCTION
 Everyday activities require motility. From walking to eating and breathing,
everything a person does require him to move. While many different systems have
some role in movement, it is the skeletal and muscular systems that actually play a
major role in enabling a person to move. Since these two systems work together to
produce movement which is very vital in maintaining homeostasis and for an
individual to survive, these two systems are hence called together as
Musculoskeletal system.
Skeletal system provides framework that supports the body and cradles the
delicate internal organs of the body. It is a mineral storage for calcium and
phosphorus and plays a role in blood cell formation. Muscular system, on the other
hand, maintains posture, stabilizes joints and produce heat as well. It is the role of
bones on acting as levers for the muscles and the contraction of the muscles that
produces a movement.
To understand the relationship between skeletal and muscular system, it is
necessary to learn first the components of each systems and then learning the
effect of integrating these two systems together in its crucial role in maintaining
homeostasis and ultimately, the survival of an individual.

METHODOLOGY

The first lab activity was Identifying Human Muscles. We borrowed prepared
slides and a compound microscope to examine the skeletal, smooth, and cardiac
muscle and to locate their nucleus, striations, myofiber, intercalated disk, branching
myofiber and endomysium only if the said structures are present in the specimen.
After viewing the specimens, we assigned our group mates to draw, to label the
visible structures and to indicate their magnification.

The next activity was the Muscle Stimulation Virtual Lab. The activity must be
done in the time allotted to us but, the lack of time and a slow internet connection,
weve decided to do it at home where the connection is much faster. The website
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs_2K8/labs/BL_13/index.html was
given to us to perform the virtual lab. First we selected a muscle and click the up
arrow on the oscilloscope to increase the stimulus voltage, then by clicking the
apply stimulus button we are able to see if a spike occurs and if we dont, we have
to increase the stimulus voltage until a spike will be noticed. In the data table, we
recorded the stimulus voltage and repeat the steps to determine and record the
thresholds of simulation of the four muscles (lower forelimb, upper forelimb, calf
and thigh), under each of the six possible workloads (0g, 5g, 10g, 20g, 40g and
80g). And we wrote none to the times that we didnt notice a twitch after applying
stimulus voltage as high as 10v. After performing the muscle stimulation, the journal
was answered.

Muscle Fatigue was the third activity, this time a stress ball or a rubber ball
and a volunteer is needed. For 30 seconds, numbers of squeezes were counted and
recorded in the table. While recording, the squeezing of the ball continues and still
record if will reach to 60 seconds, 90 seconds, 120 seconds, and 150 seconds. Then,
two more volunteers performed the same procedure and the results were gathered
to show the trend in the number of squeezes through time by using a line graph.

Another laboratory was performed on the same day and its entitled Bone
Anatomy in which is composed of two parts, the Gross Anatomy of Long Bone and
Structure of Compact Bone and Spongy Bone. In the Gross Anatomy of Long Bone,
the cow long bone is needed to locate and observe the epiphysis, medullary cavity,
trabeculae, spongy bone, diaphysis, compact bone, articular cartilage, epiphyseal
line, periosteum, perforating canal (Volkmanns canal). After such, the long bone
was drawn in the data sheet and labeled the visible structures. In Structure of
Compact Bone and Spongy Bone, borrowed slides were obtain and with the use of a
microscope the group was able to locate the osteon, haversian canal, lacuna,
osteocyte, caliculi, lamellae, perforating canal, trabeculae of the human tissue.
Using a phone, the magnified specimen were captured to enable us to draw and
label structure of muscle tissues in the data sheet.

The final activity is entitled the Chemical Composition of the Bone. In this part of
the activity, the group prepared four, dry, and clean identical chicken thigh bones,
and we made sure that we had removed all the meat that is attached to it. First, is
to observe the chicken bone soaked in the vinegar, using two bottle jar with lids,
labeled as Jar 1 and Jar 2. Jar 1 is empty while Jar 2 is filled with vinegar. One
chicken bone was placed in each jar, where the group assured that the bone in Jar 2
was completely covered with vinegar. After three days, the bones from the jar were
removed and rinsed off with water. Second, is to observe the chicken bone when
baked. The group placed a bone in a baking pan and baked in the over at 250C for
3 hours then removed and cooled it down for 15 minutes, then compared it to the
other bone that is not baked.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. The effect of increasing workload to selected muscles threshold stimulus.

*V= voltage, g= grams

THRESHOLD STIMULUS OF SELECTED MUSCLES (V*)

WORKLOAD
(g*) Lower Upper
Calf Thigh
forelimb forelimb
0g 2.0 3.0 5.0 6.0
5g 3.0 4.0 5.5 6.5
10g 4.0 5.5 6.0 7.0
20g none 7.0 7.5 8.0
40g none none 8.0 9.0
 80g none none none 10.0

For the muscle to contract, there should be a sufficient intensity of electrical

stimulus applied to the muscle. This level that is needed to be crossed to produce
movement is called threshold stimulus (Thibodeau and Patton, 1992). Once this
threshold of stimulus is reached, an action potential is released and travels along
the axon of a motor neuron to its end bulb resulting to the production of a muscle
impulse that propagates in the muscle fiber allowing for the release of Ca2+ from
sarcoplasmic reticulum to activate cross-bridging of the myofilaments that contracts
the muscle (Shier et al., 2010).
The degree to which the muscle can contract is directly affected by the amount
of workload applied on the muscle. The relationship between the muscles threshold
stimulus and workload was elucidated through Muscle Stimulation Virtual Lab,
wherein various amount of workloads were applied to selected muscles.
Table 1 showed the effect of increasing workload to selected muscles threshold
stimulus. Carrying no workload, the lower forelimb was the easiest to stimulate with
a 2.0V threshold stimulus among the four selected muscles, hence the easiest to
contract, while the thigh muscle is the hardest to contract since it has the greatest
threshold stimulus reaching 6.0V. At the workload of 5g, lower and upper forelimbs
threshold of stimulation both increased 1.0V, whereas the both calf and thigh
muscles showed an increase of 0.5V in their threshold of stimulation. An increase of
another 1.0V in the threshold stimulus of lower limb was observed when the
workload was increased to 10g. Upper forelimbs threshold stimulus also increased
to 1.5V at 1g workload, while both the calf and the thigh showed the same increase
of 0.5V. However, when the workload was increased to 20g, the lower limb showed
no further response. This implied that the muscle cannot contract any more strongly
since the maximum contraction level has been reached, even if stimulation
increases above its maximal level (Thibodeau and Patton, 1992).
When the workload was increased to 40g, upper limb however showed no more
response, meaning the muscles threshold stimulus only ranged from 3.0V and 7.0V
whenever a workload below 40g is applied. At 80g of workload, another muscle
stopped responding the calf. The workload applied increased the stimulus strength
(up to 8.0V) but crossed beyond the maximal level of contraction of the calf muscle,
hence it did not respond. However, the thigh muscle still responded at the greatest
load applied and a threshold stimulus of 10.0V was recorded. This inferred that the
thigh muscle can still contract under the greatest load.
Furthermore, the change in the threshold stimulus is relative to the change of
the workload. That is when there a workload which sends an electric impulse that
sufficiently crossed the threshold stimulus, it causes a contraction of the muscle.
But when the workload increases, the threshold stimulus must also increase
proportionally since more motor neurons are needed to be recruited and more
action potential should be generated to propagate muscle impulse on the muscle
fibers to produce enough Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic reticulum to form cross-bridges
that creates contraction strength needed to lift the workload (Salmons, 1994; Shier
et al., 2010).
However, when the maximal contraction is reached, the muscle will not further
contract even if the stimulus is continually increasing. This is why lower and upper
limb muscles and calf muscles cannot longer respond to certain workloads. At this
point, when the muscle reaches its maximum level of contraction yet the workload
is still increasing, the body will respond via stretch reflex, where the body will drop
the load because it threatens to stretch the muscle beyond its set point length
(Thibodeau and Patton, 1992).
Hence, the Muscle Stimulation Lab revealed the directly proportional
relationship between the workload and the threshold stimulation, wherein whenever
the workload increases, the threshold stimulus of a muscle also increases, and the
stronger the contraction it produces.
 Figure 1. Comparison between the number of squeezes in each trial

As what we had observed, after each trial, the strength of our fingers decreased,
like we felt more tired. However, since we had to record the time and reset the
stopwatch, we had time to rest our hand and therefore there are some fluctuations
in the data as seen in the table below.

Muscle cells normally use oxygen to generate the ATP they need for contraction.
So long as there is plenty of oxygen and glucose available, muscles can make all the
ATP they need and they do not normally get tired (fatigued). Under heavy-duty use,
however, the body cant deliver enough oxygen to the muscles. Without a sufficient
supply of oxygen, the muscles have trouble making the ATP they need. Instead of
burning the sugar aerobically (with oxygen) they are forced to burn it
anaerobically (without oxygen). The chemical reaction that burns glucose without
oxygen is called fermentation. Fermentation is both a good process and a bad
process. Muscle cells do, however, produce a nasty end product called lactic acid.
The type of fermentation our muscle cells perform is called Lactic Acid
Fermentation. Think about the last time when your muscles were overworked. You
probably experienced a burning feeling at first and then extreme fatigue. If you
continue to work a fatigued muscle, eventually it wont be able to contract any
longer. If the Lactic Acid buildup happens too quickly, you muscles will stop working
all-of-a-sudden and you will feel lots of pain. This is called a cramp. The good news
is that the symptoms from lactic acid buildup dont last forever. Following a period
muscle rest and deep breathing, the muscles finally get the oxygen they need and
the pain goes away. The cells use the oxygen to help destroy the lactic acid that
had built up. Soon, the muscle cells regain their normal condition and can function
normally once again (Hunter et al, 2004).

The bone is a composite structure with a mineralized matrix mainly made up of

calcium phosphate minerals (hydroxyapatite crystals), a hard brittle material, and
collagen, a rubbery polymer.
Vinegar makes the bone soft and rubbery. The combination of calcium and
phosphate minerals (hydroxyapatite crystals) is what makes bones strong and rigid.
Vinegar is a weak acid. When bones are soaked in vinegar for several days, the acid
components of the vinegar reacts with the calcium compounds in bones. This would
make the calcium in bones become soluble allowing the water component of
vinegar to dissolve it thereby leaving the bone less rigid and bendable.
Baking breaks down the collagen present in bones, making it brittle and easy to
break. If the bones in the body lacked collagen, then they would be easily broken.

CONCLUSION
To conclude, the students were able to achieve further understanding of the
relationship between the muscular and skeletal system.

REFERENCES
Hunter, S., Duchateau, J. and Enoka, R. (2004). Muscle Fatigue and the
Mechanisms of Task Failure. Sport. Sci. Rev. 32:2 44-39
Salmon, S., 1994. Exercise, Stimulation and Type Transformation of Skeletal
Muscle. Int. J. Sports Med., vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 136141.
Shier, D., Butler, J., Lewis-Hole, R., 2010. Human Anatomy and Physiology, 12th ed.
McGraw Hill Publishing, New York.
The Arizona Science Center. (2011, February 2). Busy Bones. ASU - Ask A Biologist.
Retrieved from http://askabiologist.asu.edu/bone-experiments
Thiobodeau, G., Patton, K., 1993. Anatomy and Physiology, 2nd ed. Mosby-Year Book,
Inc., Missouri.
http://sciencing.com/effect-vinegar-chicken-bones-5946177.html
https://sciencebob.com/bend-a-bone-with-vinegar/
https://prezi.com/xuiyzcxtkyyp/bone-experiment/