Introduction

Locomotion and movement are essential for animal survival, enabling interaction with the environment. NEET emphasizes skeleton, muscles, joints, muscle contraction, and neuromuscular coordination.

Understanding this topic is crucial for human physiology, MCQs, diagram-based, and conceptual questions.

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1. Human Skeleton

Functions of Skeleton:

• Provides support and shape

• Protects internal organs (skull, rib cage)

• Assists in movement via joints and muscles

• Stores minerals (Ca²⁺, P) and produces blood cells (bone marrow)

Divisions of Skeleton:

1. Axial Skeleton: Skull, vertebral column, rib cage

2. Appendicular Skeleton: Limbs and girdles (pectoral & pelvic)

NEET Tip:

• Memorize bones of skull, vertebral column, and limb bones

2. Types of Joints

• Fibrous: Immovable (skull sutures)

• Cartilaginous: Slightly movable (vertebrae)

• Synovial: Freely movable (elbow, knee, shoulder)

NEET Tip:

• Synovial joint structure: Articular cartilage, synovial membrane, synovial fluid, ligaments

Types of Synovial Movements:

• Flexion & Extension: Bending & straightening joints

• Abduction & Adduction: Movement away/towards body midline

• Rotation & Circumduction: Twisting and circular movement

3. Muscles

Types of Muscles:

1. Skeletal: Voluntary, striated, attached to bones

2. Cardiac: Involuntary, striated, heart

3. Smooth: Involuntary, non-striated, walls of organs

NEET Tip:

• Focus on skeletal muscle structure and function

Skeletal Muscle Structure:

• Muscle → Fascicles → Muscle fibers → Myofibrils → Sarcomere

• Sarcomere: Functional unit of contraction

4. Mechanism of Muscle Contraction (Sliding Filament Theory)

• Actin (thin) and Myosin (thick) filaments slide past each other

• ATP required for myosin head movement

• Calcium ions (Ca²⁺) released from sarcoplasmic reticulum trigger contraction

• Relaxation: Ca²⁺ pumped back, filaments slide back

NEET Formula / Fact:

• Muscle contraction energy: ATP → ADP + Pi + Energy

• Power stroke: Myosin head pulls actin → sarcomere shortens

5. Neuromuscular Coordination

• Motor neuron → Neuromuscular junction → Muscle fiber

• Acetylcholine (ACh) released → Muscle depolarization → Contraction

• Reflex action: Rapid, involuntary response for protection (e.g., knee-jerk reflex)

NEET Tip:

• Diagram of neuromuscular junction is often asked

6. Locomotion in Animals

Modes of Locomotion:

• Amoeboid movement: Amoeba → Pseudopodia

• Ciliary movement: Paramecium → Cilia

• Muscular movement: Worms, humans → Skeletal muscles

NEET Tip:

• Understand muscle coordination in movement

7. Human Locomotion and Movement

• Movement is achieved by skeletal muscles acting on joints

• Antagonistic muscles: Flexor and extensor pairs (e.g., biceps & triceps)

• Levers in body: Bones act as levers, joints as fulcrum, muscles provide effort

Types of Levers:

1. First-class lever: Fulcrum between load & effort (neck muscles)

2. Second-class lever: Load between fulcrum & effort (ankle)

3. Third-class lever: Effort between fulcrum & load (biceps)

NEET Tip:

• 3rd-class levers most common in human body

8. Locomotor Adaptations in Animals

• Aquatic: Fins, streamlined body → Fish

• Arboreal: Prehensile tail, grasping limbs → Monkeys

• Terrestrial: Limbs adapted for running/jumping → Cats, rabbits

• Aerial: Wings → Birds, bats

NEET Tip:

• Diagrammatic questions may ask adaptations for locomotion

9. NEET Important Formulas / Memory Aids

1. Muscle contraction → ATP + Ca²⁺ → Filament sliding → Contraction

2. Cardiac muscle, smooth muscle → Involuntary; Skeletal → Voluntary

3. Levers → Effort, Load, Fulcrum

4. Antagonistic muscles → Opposing movements (Flexor-Extensor)

Mnemonic for muscle types:

• “SCS” → Skeletal, Cardiac, Smooth

10. NEET Exam Tips

• Focus on human skeleton, joints, muscles, types of movement

• Memorize sliding filament theory and neuromuscular junction

• Prepare levers and antagonistic muscles examples

• Diagram-based questions → Skeleton, joints, sarcomere, reflex arc

• Understand locomotor adaptations in animals

Conclusion

Locomotion and Movement is a high-yield NEET topic. Mastery of human skeleton, muscles, joints, muscle contraction, neuromuscular coordination, levers, and locomotor adaptations is essential for scoring in MCQs, diagrams, and conceptual questions.

With this StudentBro.in guide, students can efficiently revise formulas, diagrams, and physiology concepts, enhancing speed and accuracy during NEET exams.

Remember: Locomotion = Skeleton + Muscles + Joints + Contraction + Neuromuscular Coordination + Levers + Locomotor Adaptations → Core for human physiology and animal movement questions.