Adaptation of Cells and the Musculoskeletal System
“Cascade” of Driving Questions: (Corny…I know…)
DQ: What is the adaptive response of the body when faced with an increased demand for physical exertion?
 How could you manipulate these adaptive responses in order to improve health, longevity and quality of life?
o How could you manipulate various stressors applied to the musculoskeletal system in order to elicit
beneficial adaptations that would or could improve health and quality of life?
These are the concepts you should be able to demonstrate mastery on from this portion of the Unit
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Explain the major events of the cell cycle (G1, S, G2, M-phase) is and its purpose (i.e. growth, development, injury
repair, compensatory hyperplasia, etc.)
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Compare the cells created during meiosis and mitosis and the purpose of fertilization (including its effect on the
chromosome number of the zygote.)
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Explain the general determination process that results in differentiation or specialization using the concepts of
regulatory cascades.
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Explain how differentiation potential changes as cells move through the determination process and identify which
stem cell types have more or less potential.
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Explain how cancer is prevented through Tumor suppression (which is a cascade btw...)
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Explain the meaning of gene activation and gene expression.
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Compare and contrast the various cellular adaptations AND be able to apply them to various scenarios.
(Hyperplasia, Hypertrophy, Atrophy, Dysplasia, Metaplasia)
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Explain the general purpose of the musculoskeletal system.
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Explain the general anatomy/characteristics of a bone (Cortical, Trabecular and Marrow)
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Compare and contrast the process of Bone Modeling and Remodeling and the cells involved in carrying out these
processes. (Osteoclasts and Osteoblasts).
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Identify factors that could impact the degree of activation of osteoclasts or osteoblasts as a response to the
stimuli/stressor being applied. (i.e. age, medication, acidic blood environment, activity level)
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Explain the role/action of Muscle Satellite Cells during muscle damage.
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Analyze scenarios, identify the stimuli/stressor, and predict the response through the lens of cellular adaptation
and other possible adaptive responses of the Musculoskeletal system. This includes changes in bone, connective,
and muscle tissue along with hypertrophy/atrophy of the various muscle fiber types depending on the
stimulus/stressor being applied.
List of Stimuli and/or variables that could be used for the application portion of the assessment…

Variation in Activity/Inactivity that includes variations in amount and rate of loading and intensity of the
activity.
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Exposure to external stimuli through lifestyle choices (what you eat/drink, habits and activity levels, etc.)
Age or time period of one’s life (i.e. Middle Age vs. Adolescence/Puberty)
Things to consider during the evaluation of each of the following scenarios...
 What changes in bone density could occur (which bones)? What cells would be stimulated into action or
dormancy?
 What changes in muscle fiber types could occur due to use or disuse (identify hypertrophy vs. atrophy) . Will it
occur in all muscles or certain muscles? Support reasoning.
 What changes in connective tissue could occur? Where will the changes occur?
Scenario 1
A competitive weightlifter (think Oly lifts) decides they want to try their hand at triathlons. Explain the musculoskeletal
response to the shift in stimulus from extensive and extreme anaerobic, maximal load bearing activity to more of an
aerobic, decreased load bearing and lower body (as opposed to total body) training stimulus.
Scenario 2
A young housewife decides she wants to get in shape. She is weighing her options and needs your input on what training
protocol to start. Her goals are to avoid osteoporosis, be lean, proportionately strong...but not bulky like a man.
Which of the following protocols would result in musculoskeletal adaptations that would meet her goals?
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Steady state aerobic training in the form of jogging, elipticals, treadmills, etc.
Weight training using high rep ranges (10-15) and really light weights and steady state cardio.
Weight training using moderate (65-75%) weight with higher rep ranges (10-15) and steady state cardio
Weight training using higher loads (80-90%), compound and dynamic lifts and lower rep ranges (1-5) coupled with
sprint intervals of some sort.
Scenario 3
A collegiate level baseball player suffers a season ending injury that will require around 3 months of bed rest. Explain the
cellular and musculoskeletal response to the shift in stimulus from the demands placed upon a competitive athlete to a
bedridden hospital patient.
An older woman suffers from osteoporosis and vertebral collapse. What are some of the environmental factors/stimuli that
could cause this diseased state? What cells become active that cause this event?