What role does ATP play in the cross bridge cycle?

Study for the AandP Muscle and Tissue Exam with multiple choice questions, hints, and explanations. Prepare for success!

In the cross bridge cycle, ATP has a crucial role in the function of myosin during muscle contraction. ATP re-cocks the myosin head after it has detached from the actin filament. This re-cocking is essential because it positions the myosin head for the next cycle of attachment and pulling on actin, enabling muscle contraction to continue. When ATP binds to the myosin head, it causes a conformational change that reduces the affinity of myosin for actin, allowing the myosin head to detach from the actin filament. Subsequently, the hydrolysis of ATP provides energy, which re-cocks the myosin head to its high-energy state, ready for another round of cross-bridge formation and movement.

This aspect of ATP's function is vital in terms of maintaining a smooth and continuous muscle contraction process, as it enables repeated cycles of attachment to actin, pulling, detaching, and re-cocking. Without this function, muscle contraction would be inefficient and could eventually stop altogether, leading to muscle fatigue.

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