Rigor mortis is one of the recognizable signs of death (Latin mors, mortis) that is caused by a chemical change in the muscles after death, causing the limbs of the corpse to become stiff (Latin rigor) and difficult to move or manipulate. Rigor mortis is one of the recognizable signs of death. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle (from Latin musculus little mouse [1]) is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Body (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ...

Description

Assuming mild temperatures, rigor usually sets in about 3-4 hours after clinical death^{[citation needed]}, with full rigor being in effect at about 12 hours, and eventually subsiding to relaxation at about 72 hours. Times for the onset of rigor mortis can vary from a few minutes to several hours depending on the ambient temperature. Factors influencing rigor mortis include the age and condition of the body, as well as the mode of death and the surroundings. For example, rigor mortis will tend to set in faster in those who were active immediately prior to death. Clinical death occurs when a patients heartbeat and breathing have stopped. ...

Biochemistry

The biochemical cause of rigor mortis is hydrolysis of ATP, the chemical energy source required for movement, in the muscle tissue. Myosin molecules devoid of ATP become permanently adherent to actin filaments to form actomyosin complex, causing muscles to become rigid. After the pH of the muscle has become 5.5, release of autolytic enzymes stored in lysosomes will take place. The major proteolytic enzymes are Cathepsins and Calpains. These enzymes act at the myofibrillar proteins and hydrolyse them. As a result, the actomyosin complex is broken down and muscles become "soft" again. This is known as resolution of rigor. Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction or process in which a chemical compound reacts with water. ... Adenosine 5-triphosphate (ATP) is a multifunctional nucleotide that is most important as a molecular currency of intracellular energy transfer. ... Myosin is a motor protein filament found in muscle tissue. ... G-Actin (PDB code: 1j6z). ... Actomyosin is a protein complex composed of Actin and Myosin. ... The correct title of this article is . ... Lysosomes are organelles in eukaryotic cells that contain digestive enzymes to digest macromolecules. ... Proteolysis is the directed degradation (digestion) of proteins by cellular enzymes called proteases or by intramolecular digestion. ... Neuraminidase ribbon diagram An enzyme (in Greek en = in and zyme = blend) is a protein, or protein complex, that catalyzes a chemical reaction and also controls the 3D orientation of the catalyzed substrates. ... Cathepsins are a large family of lysosomal cysteine proteases that have a vital role in mammalian cellular turnover, e. ... Calpains (EC 3. ...

Forensics

Rigor Mortis is important in forensics as it allows the pathologist to estimate time of death and to determine position of the body at time of death. Conditions similar to rigor mortis include freezing of the body, heat coagulation, putrefaction and cadaveric spasm. The word forensic (from Latin: forensis - forum) refers to something of, pertaining to, or used in a court of law. ... Putrefaction is the decomposition of proteins, especially by anaerobic microorganisms. ... Cadaveric spasm, also known as instantaneous rigor, cataleptic rigidity, or instantaneous rigidity, is a rare form of muscular stiffening which occurs at the moment of death, persists into the period of rigor mortis[1] and can be mistaken for rigor mortis. ...

Rigor mortis and the meat industry

Rigor mortis is very important in meat technology. The onset of rigor mortis and its resolution partially determines the tenderness of meat. If the post-slaughter meat is immediately chilled to 15 °C, a phenomenon known as cold shortening occurs, where the muscle shrinks to a third of its original size. This will lead to the loss of water from the meat along with many of the vitamins, minerals, and water soluble proteins. The loss of water makes the meat hard and interferes with the manufacturing of several meat products like cutlet and sausage. Kinnikuman character, see Meat Alexandria. ... The meat packing industry is an industry that handles the slaughtering, processing and distribution of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. ... Cutlet: Refers to a small cut of meat. ... Plate with German Wurst (liver, blood and ham sausage) A sausage consists of ground meat, animal fat, salt, and spices, and sometimes other ingredients such as herbs, usually packed in a casing. ...

Cold shortening is caused by the release of stored calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of muscle fibers in response to the cold stimulus. The calcium ions trigger powerful muscle contraction aided by ATP molecules. To prevent cold shortening, a process known as electrical stimulation is carried out, especially in beef carcass, immediately after slaughter and flaying. In this process, the carcass is stimulated with alternating current, causing it to contract and relax, which depletes the ATP reserve from the carcass and prevents cold shortening. General Name, Symbol, Number calcium, Ca, 20 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 4, s Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight 40. ... The endoplasmic reticulum or ER is an organelle found in all eukaryotic cells that is an interconnected network of tubules, vesicles and cisternae that is responsible for several specialized functions: Protein translation, folding, and transport of proteins to be used in the cell membrane (e. ... Slaughter is the term used to describe the killing and butchering of domestic livestock. ... Michelangelos Last Judgment - Saint Bartholomew holding the knife of his martyrdom and his flayed skin Flaying is the removal of skin from the body. ... Carcass of a chicken after cooking Carcass may refer to: A carcass (or carcase) is a term for a dead body, typically that of an animal. ...

See also

• Cadaveric spasm