During skeletal muscle contraction, what is the primary role of calcium ions () in enabling cross-bridge cycling?
A
It binds directly to myosin heads to power the power stroke by releasing inorganic phosphate
B
It binds to troponin, causing tropomyosin to shift and expose myosin-binding sites on actin
C
It is hydrolyzed by myosin ATPase to provide energy for the sliding filament mechanism
D
It is pumped into the sarcoplasmic reticulum to initiate depolarization of the sarcolemma
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1
Understand the structure of the thin filament in skeletal muscle, which includes actin, tropomyosin, and troponin. Tropomyosin blocks the myosin-binding sites on actin when the muscle is relaxed.
Recognize that calcium ions (Ca^{2+}) are released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum into the cytoplasm when a muscle fiber is stimulated to contract.
Know that Ca^{2+} binds specifically to the troponin complex on the thin filament. This binding causes a conformational change in troponin.
This conformational change in troponin causes tropomyosin to shift its position, exposing the myosin-binding sites on actin filaments.
With the myosin-binding sites exposed, myosin heads can attach to actin, forming cross-bridges, which is essential for the cross-bridge cycling and muscle contraction to proceed.