Rigor mortis

RIGOR MORTIS

Muscle exhibits

    • In-excitable
    • Shortens in length
    • Increases in thickness
    • Become viscous and losses translucency
    • Acidic pH 5.8
    • Stiff
    • Glycogen disappears
    • Gives off H2CO3
  • Rigor mortis starts in the 2nd hour and is completed in 3 hrs after death. Rigor mortis disappears 24 – 36 hrs after death due to autolysis.
  • Deficiency of ATP causing establishment of permanent link between actin and myosin. When ATP falls to 85% and creatine PO4 to 30% of its initial value, symptoms of rigor mortis begin to appear.
    • Ca++ pumps run out of ATP
    • Ca++ cannot be removed
    • Continuous contraction
    • Eventually tissues break down
  • This is major physiological different between cardiac and skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles ordinarily contracts only when stimulated by nerve impulse.
  • In contrast cardiac muscles tissue can contract with out our nerve stimulation. Its source of stimulation is conducting tissue of specialized muscle with in the heart.
  • Nerve stimulation causes the conducting tissue to increase or decrease its rate or discharge. Cardiac muscle tissue has got an extra long refractory period.
Last modified: Friday, 3 June 2011, 7:53 AM