Question

Rigor Mortis is due to ___.

Answer 1

Rigor Mortis:

1. Rigor mortis is one of the most easily recognized indicators of death.
2. It is produced by chemical changes in the muscles that occur after death.
3. It causes the body to stiffen and become stuck in place, making movement impossible.
4. After death, an organism's breathing stops, decreasing the oxygen supply utilized to make ATP.
5. ATP is essential for the actin-myosin cross-bridges to separate during muscular relaxation.
6. When oxygen is no longer available, the body can manufacture ATP through anaerobic glycolysis.
7. When the body's glycogen stores are spent, ATP levels drop, and the body goes into rigor mortis as it can't break those actin-myosin cross-bridges.

Final answer: Rigor Mortis is due to a lack of ATP.