AKARSANA KUMAR S11132245

BI309: COMPARATIVE ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY

TOAD’S SCIATICE NERVE AND MUSCLE TISSUE

Introduction

Skeletal muscle system is an essential part of the nervous system. The key benefit of this
system is that it gives ability to move in addition to defense, protection and aggression. The
skeletal system is involuntarily Central Nervous System (CNS) using neuronal innervations of the
muscle fiber. Skeletal muscle is similar to nerve tissue in that it responds to stimuli, called a
twitch. Depending on the intensity and frequency of stimulation, greater numbers of fibers are
activated; the muscle is able to increase the force it generates. When there is a power stroke
myosin molecules binds to thin filaments and pulls them inwards, shortening the length of the
muscles, hence contraction occurs followed by relaxation with decrease in velocity as the
muscle relaxes and lengthens.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the physiology of contraction in the
gastrocnemius muscle of a frog. Familiarize with dissection skills and smooth handling and
isolation of heart and nerve-muscle tissue. The response of the muscle was examined, the
effect of stimuli intensity and the frequency of stimulation observed using a kymograph.

Materials and Method:

As per lab handout

Contribution & lesson

After the dissection of the toad, the skin was peeled off and upper body was discarded by the
group members. Then I cut open from the urostyle bone. Cutting through the vertebral column,
I made it into right and left half to isolate the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve was observed to
run deep beneath the muscle in the thigh and supplies the gastrocnemius muscle. Spreading
the thigh, femur and a blood vessel was seen running along it. Next to it was the sciatic nerve.
The nerve is white, tendonous strip. Then I did a fine dissection to free up the nerve, separating
the nerve from the blood vessel. Then the using forceps I placed it under the gastrocnemius to
free it from fascia. Probe was then used to place under the tendons. Then I cut the
gastrocnemius muscle at the distal end so it can be attached to the transducer. The leg was
moistened with ringer’s solution to prevent drying out. After completion of this experiment I
learnt the steps for dissection. The dissection of the heart preparation was just observed and
understood. Operation of the Student’s Kymograph was learnt. Some of the important things
noted during the experiment were to keep the tissues moist with ringer’s solution to allow the
stimuli to pass through and contraction and relaxation was observed.
Simple Muscle Curve

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4

(mV) 0

-2

-4

52.2 52.25 52.3 52.35 52.4 52.45 52.5 52.55 52.6 52.65
Time (s)

Point/Origin Phases
A Point of stimulation A-B Latent period
B Point of contraction B-C Contraction period
C End. of C-D Relaxation period
contraction/beginning
of relaxation
D End of relaxation C-C´ Height of muscle
contraction

Two Successive Summation Responses

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(mV) 2

-2 Stimuli I Stimuli II
-4

29 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 29.5 29.6 29.7 29.8 29.9 30 30.1 30.2 30.3

Time(s)

Effect of Temperature
15⁰C

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4
(mV)
2

-2

-4

4.8 4.9 5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7

Time (s)

35⁰C

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4

2
(mV) 0

-2

-4

22.45 22.5 22.55 22.6 22.65 22.7 22.75 22.8 22.85

Time (s)

95⁰C

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4

2
(mV) 0

-2

-4

1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8

Time (s)

Genesis of Tetanus
 2/20/2018 11:54:29.928 AM
4
GENESIS OF TENTUS
2
(mV)
0

-2

-4

4 5 6 10 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Time (s)

A single brief electrical shock of adequate strength applied to the skeletal muscle of toad gives rise to a
brief contraction of the muscle followed by relaxation; therefore this response is called as Simple Muscle
Twitch. The period of latent, contraction and relaxation after being stimulated was recorded on
kymograph called Simple muscle curve. The latent period is when stimulus delivered indicates the
contraction of the muscle. Muscle tension starts to develop as energy is provided, hence a slight rise in
the curve. At the contraction phase muscle are pulled and shortens. After reaching its peak the muscle
starts to rest and the curve moves downwards.

With an increase in stimulus frequency, summation response happens. Tension is increased and the
muscle fiber is made unable to relax between twitches. The twitches overlap and continuous
contractions are produced. Stimuli increases, and this is evident in the graph where stimuli II is greater
than stimuli I. With an increase in the stimulus altitude, the muscle contract and then relaxes before
next stimuli occurs. Muscle is stimulated a second time before relaxation was completed hence another
contraction occurs.