What happens if a skeletal muscle is deprived of adequate supplies of ATP?
A) the muscle relaxes
B) the muscle enters a state where actin and myosin are unable to separate
C) sarcomeres continue to shorten until maximum contraction is achieved
D) all free calcium ions are returned to the sarcoplasmic reticulum

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

ATP is required for the detachment of myosin heads from actin filaments after a contraction cycle. Without adequate ATP, myosin heads cannot detach, leading to a state where actin and myosin remain bound together, a condition known as rigor. This is why muscles stiffen after death in a state known as rigor mortis, due to the depletion of ATP.

What Happens If a Skeletal Muscle Is Deprived of Adequate