What is the sliding filament theory?
2006-11-19 09:27:27 · 2 answers · asked by petswodahs 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
When a muscle contracts, the actin is pulled along myosin toward the center of the sarcomere until the actin and myosin filaments are completely overlapped. The H zone becomes smaller and smaller due to the increasing overlap of actin and myosin filaments, and the muscle shortens. Thus when the muscle is fully contracted, the H zone is no longer visible (as in the bottom diagram, left). Note that the actin and myosin filaments themselves do not change length, but instead slide past each other. This is known as the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction.
Check out the link below for an animated example of it all.
2006-11-19 09:32:19 · answer #1 · answered by kleeoh1 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sliding filament mechanism is a process used by muscles to contract.
Movement is brought about by two proteins, myosin and actin. Myosin is a molecular motor that acts like an active ratchet. Chains of actin proteins form high tensile passive 'thin' filaments that transmit the force generated by myosin to the ends of the muscle. Myosin also forms 'thick' filaments. So each myosin 'walks' along an actin filament repeatedly binding, ratcheting and letting go. By this means the thick filament slides over thin filament.
2006-11-19 09:30:35 · answer #2 · answered by snissari 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋