Where is skeletal muscle found?

Skeletal muscle: This muscle cell is striated, long, and cylindrical. There are many nuclei in a skeletal muscle cell. Attached to bones in the body, skeletal muscle contracts voluntarily, meaning that it is under conscious control.

Smooth muscle: This muscle consists of nonstriated muscle cells that are spindle-shaped. Like cardiac muscle cells, smooth muscle cells contain one nucleus. This muscle type is found in the walls of internal organs like the bladder and stomach. Smooth muscle contraction is involuntary and controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

Cardiac muscle: This muscle consists of muscle cells that are striated, short, and branched. These cells contain one nucleus, are branched, and are rectangular. Cardiac muscle contraction is an involuntary process, which is why it is under the control of the autonomic nervous system. This muscle is found in the walls of the heart.

Robert Hooke discovered the first cells in the mid-eighteenth century. The cell theory is a theory because it is supported by a significant number of experimental findings. The cell theory took many years to be developed because microscopes were not powerful enough to make such observations.

This theory, or in-depth explanation, about cells consists of three parts:

• All living things are composed of one or more cells.
• Cells are alive and represent the basic unit of life.
• All cells are produced from pre-existing cells.

Theaging processaffects hormone activity in one of three ways: their secretion can decrease, remain unchanged, or increase.

Hormones thatdecrease secretioninclude the following:

• Estrogen (in women)
• Testosterone (in men)
• Growth hormone
• Melatonin

Inwomen, the decline in estrogen levels leads to menopause. Inmen, testosterone levels usually decrease gradually. Decreased levels of growth hormone may lead to decreased muscle mass and strength. Decreased melatonin levels may play an important role in the loss of normal sleep-wake cycles (circadian rhythms) with aging.

Hormones that usually remainunchangedorslightly decreaseinclude the following:

• Cortisol
• Insulin
• Thyroid hormones

Hormones that mayincrease secretionslevels include the following:

Parathyroid hormone

• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
• Luteinizing hormone (LH)
• Norepinephrine
• Epinephrine, in the very old

Once the food has been masticated in the oral cavity (mouth), it is then swallowed and travels back into the pharynx down into the esophagus, which leads into the stomach.

Both litmus paper and a pH scale can be used to indicate whether a solution is acidic. However, a pH scale can also determine the strength of an acid.

Researchers can determine the strength of an acid or a base by measuring the pH of a solution. The pH value describes how acidic or basic a solution is. On pH scale, shown below, if the number is less than 7 the solution is acidic. A pH greater than 7 means the solution is basic. When the pH is exactly 7, the solution is neutral.

The duodenum is the first part of the small intestines, located between the stomach and the middle part of the small intestines (jejunum). Once food has mixed with acid in the stomach, it moves into the duodenum, where it then mixes with bile from the gallbladder and digestive juices secreted from the pancreas. In the duodenum, absorption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients begins.

The cell cycle is an organized process divided into two phases:interphaseand theM (mitotic) phase. During interphase, the cell grows and copies its DNA. After the cell reaches the M phase, division of the two new cells can occur. The G1, S, and G2phases make up interphase.

• G1:The first gap phase, during which the cell prepares to copy its DNA
• S:The synthesis phase, during which DNA is copied
• G2:The second gap phase, during which the cell prepares for cell division

It may appear that little is happening in the cell during the gap phases. Most of the activity occurs at the level of enzymes and macromolecules. The cell produces things like nucleotidesfor synthesizing new DNA strands, enzymes for copying the DNA, and tubulin proteins for building the mitotic spindle. During the S phase, the DNA in the cell doubles, but few other signs are obvious under the microscope. All the dramatic events that can be seen under a microscope occur during the M phase: the chromosomes move, and the cell splits into two new cells with identical nuclei.

A control group is a factor that does not change during an experiment. Due to this, it is used as a standard for comparison with variables that do change such as a dependent variable.

Recall that these make up thescientific method,described below:

• Problem:The question created because of an observation.Example: Does the size of a plastic object affect how fast it naturally degrades in a lake?
• Research:Reliable information available about what is observed.Example: Learn how plastics are made and understand the properties of a lake.
• Hypothesis:A predicted solution to the question or problem.Example: If the plastic material is small, then it will degrade faster than a large particle.
• Experiment:A series of tests used to evaluate the hypothesis. Experiments consist of anindependent variablethat the researcher modifies and adependent variablethat changes due to the independent variable. They also include acontrol groupused as a standard to make comparisons.
  • Example: Collect plastic particles both onshore and offshore of the lake over time. Determine the size of the particles and describe the lake conditions during this time period.
• Observe:Analyze data collected during an experiment to observe patterns.
  • Example: Analyze the differences between the numbers of particles collected in terms of size.
• Conclusion:State whether the hypothesis is rejected or accepted and summarize all results.
• Communicate:Report findings so others can replicate and verify the results.

The cardiovascular system is closely associated with hematopoiesis because it includes the heart and blood vessels, which are responsible for circulating blood throughout the body. Hematopoiesis, the process of blood cell formation, primarily occurs in the bone marrow, which is part of the skeletal system. However, the cardiovascular system plays a crucial role in transporting these blood cells to various parts of the body once they are produced in the bone marrow.

So, while the skeletal system provides the site for hematopoiesis, the cardiovascular system is responsible for distributing the blood cells, making it the most closely associated system in this context.

Kidneys makes urine isincorrect.Kidneys do not make urine. They help regulate water balance, regulate levels of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, and eliminate metabolic wastes. Urine is a byproduct of these functions.

As a person ages, kidney tissue and filtration capacity increase isincorrect. As a person ages, the kidneys and bladder change. This can affect functions such as bladder control and how well the kidneys filter blood. Kidney changes range from a decrease in kidney tissue to decreased filtration capacity.

Kidneys help regulate water balance iscorrect.Kidneys help regulate water balance, regulate levels of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, and eliminate metabolic wastes. Urine is a byproduct of these functions.

Regulates levels of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium iscorrect.There must be a continual balance of water and salt in the blood. The urinary system, specifically the kidneys, help maintain this balance. It also balances levels of metabolites or electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and calcium.

Eliminates metabolic wastes iscorrect. Urea, creatinine, uric acid, and ammonium are the primary types of nitrogenous wastes excreted from the body. The urinary system also detects and excretes excess water from the blood and out of the body.