Answer: Muscle cells consists of myofilaments which are surrounded by short tube-like networks called as sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The contraction of muscles is caused due to a shortening of the myofilaments and the SR regulates this function through the calcium gates present in them. When the brain sends signals to the muscle cells to contract, the SR opens up its calcium gates, thereby flooding the myofilaments with calcium ions. This leads to the activation of an energy pump which causes the myofilaments to change their shape and shorten.When the signal from the brain stops, the calcium returns to the SR and the calcium gates are closed, leading the muscles to relax.
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