A GENERAL MODEL OF SKELETAL MUSCULAR CONTRACTION: Part I: Calcium turnover

Abstract

The proposed mathematical model describes in a simple and universal way the calcium turnover during muscular contraction; it realizes a synthesis between fragmentary and dissimilar results published elsewhere. Our main and original contribution in this model is to demonstrate that diffusion involving a sink obeys to Fick's law with an effective diffusion coefficient smaller than the real one. Electrical release, delayed diffusion (owing to the sink existence) and reuptake of the Ca2+ ions unite to supply a simple model the equations of which are solved. We show that the computed results fit well with the known experimental ones. In addition, we attempt to make a plausible hypothesis about the biological nature of the sink. This model conduces to a better understanding of the electrocalcic coupling. It appears as a tool necessary to the modelization of the control of the muscular force; indeed it allows to connect the nervous order to the generated force.

Citation

VALENTINI, F.A. and NELSON, P.P. (1985), "A GENERAL MODEL OF SKELETAL MUSCULAR CONTRACTION: Part I: Calcium turnover", Kybernetes, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 185-194. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb005718