ISSN:
0362-2525
Keywords:
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
The lateroventral muscles of Glomeris marginata keep the animal rolled up and are able to develop and maintain great tension. Their fibers are not equipped with a particularly strong contractile apparatus but can super-contract. The sarcomere shortens its resting length by up 60% and in a typical supercontraction the thick filaments pass through the Z-line into adjacent sarcomeres. The Z-line structure changes according to the contraction state: It passes from a homogeneous, dense zig-zag line in decontracted fibers to a rarified, vaguely outlined Z-band in supercontracted fibers, in which it is possible to see actin and myosin filaments. The Z-line is thus involved in an active expanding process and is functionally very different from the fragmented and discontinuous Z-line of “classical” supercontracting muscles. The different meaning of the two cases of supercontraction is discussed.
Additional Material:
12 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmor.1051720107
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