Ages

Introduction

Summary

This animation presents muscle contraction at the level of the sarcomere by providing an animated schematic diagram in parallel with corresponding electron micrographs taken using a transmission electron microscope (TEM).
Photos:  © James E. DENNIS - PHOTOTAKE - ISM.

Goals

• To understand the relationship between the structure of a sarcomere and its function.
• To clarify  the principle stages of muscle contraction.
• To bring out the relationship between the shrinking of I bands and the sliding of myofilaments.

Features

Use the control at upper right to start/stop the animation. Labels can be obtained by clicking the “Labels” button.

Student sheet

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Tags

muscle contraction sarcomere actin myosin ATP muscle-fiber myofilament myofibril