BIO201B: Muscle Physiology Assignment

Your submission must be at least 300 words in length (not including references).

Your submission must pass a Turnitin similarity check with less than 20% similarity in order to earn a grade.

You must also reference your assignment per APA guidelines if needed.

Design a Drug

You are a leading biomedical engineer in charge of a project commissioned by the military in order to design a new drug that produces stronger muscle contractions.

Your drug must alter the normal muscle contraction physiology and you are free to develop this drug to affect the steps of muscle contraction.

The assignment must include the following:

1. Name of your fictitious drug.

2. Description of how your drug alters the normal physiology of muscle contraction by affecting at least 2 processes.

3. Potential side effects of your new drug.

Here is an example of a fictitious nervous system drug:

Neuropro

Neuropro is a new drug that facilitates neuron function by altering the threshold of the voltage-gated sodium channels in the axon hillock. Normally, these channels would open at -55mV. Neuropro, with it's patented neurovoltage regulator, changes the threshold voltage to -65 mV. This allows the gates to open sooner so that action potentials can be generated. Neuropro also affects sodium channels at the nodes of Ranvier which has the effect of speeding up saltatory conduction. Neuropro has an additional effect by promoting growth of additional voltage-gated calcium channels at the axon terminal. These channels open in response to action potentials and allow the influx of calcium which promotes release of the neurotransmitter from the axon terminal. Neuropro's calcium channel generation effect allows for more calcium channels resulting in release of more neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft which enhances neuron activity in the post-synaptic neuron. Neuropro comes in 5mg or 10mg doses and must be taken with meals. Side effects include increased reflex response, anxiety and irritability. Severe side effects include tremors and seizures.

Submissions with a greater than 20% similarity score will earn zero points with no redo option and may be reported to Unitek Administration for disciplinary action.