A-Band

Sarcomere      

Z-line to Z-line

I Band

M-line to M-line

A bigger diameter muscle

fibre can generate more tension because the thick filaments get thicker.

A muscle can generate more

tension when multiple motor units are recruited.

A sarcomere will not

develop as much tension when fully stretched, as there is less overlap between

the thick and thin filaments.

When

a whole muscle is stretched to its maximum, there is passive tension due to the

elastic elements of the muscle.

A

rapid series of muscle twitches can generate more tension than a single twitch.

Skeletal muscle fibres are never coupled via gap

junctions.

Cardiac and smooth muscle are under voluntary control.

They do not require an influx of Ca²⁺ from the extracellular fluid to initiate contraction.

Each individual cardiac/smooth muscle cell has its own nerve supply.

Cardiac and smooth muscle contract more quickly.

The type of actin and titin expressed.

The properties of the muscle protein titin e.g. fast or slow titin.

The amount of ATP available in the fibres.    

The rate at which myosin can hydrolyse ATP.

The density of calcium channels present in the sarcolemma.