muscle contraction

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

datdat

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
221
Reaction score
0
when muscle contract. H, I zone or band contract. but waht about z lines? i think it's just a line right? so no change...but kbb..said z also contract... who's wrong?

Members don't see this ad.
 
I am also curious about this question. Isn't z line just an anchor for actin?

when muscle contract. H, I zone or band contract. but waht about z lines? i think it's just a line right? so no change...but kbb..said z also contract... who's wrong?
 
Last edited:
I thought just the H and I bands contract and the sacromere is defined by the Z lines..
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I thought just the H and I bands contract and the sacromere is defined by the Z lines..


that's correct, the Z lines just define the sacromere. If you mean sacromere by stating Z lines, then you are correct. Only the H zone, I band, and sacromere (from one Z line to the other Z line) contract.

Hope that helps.
 
The z lines wouldn't contract, they are the definition of a sacromere unit, perhaps they mean the sarcomere unit itself contracts, then that is true, z lines don't do anything but anchor the actin filaments and serve as boundary markers.
 
The z lines wouldn't contract, they are the definition of a sacromere unit, perhaps they mean the sarcomere unit itself contracts, then that is true, z lines don't do anything but anchor the actin filaments and serve as boundary markers.

not sure what you're getting at...but to clear up any confusion that onlookers may be seeing.

z lines define sarcomere borders. when muscle contracts actin/myosin interactions pull the z lines together thus the distance between them gets smaller.
7130_577310967498_46700553_33615907_3969530_n.jpg
 
It's actually pretty simplistic. The I-band and H-zone refer to a REGION which is contracts (gets smaller) when the muscle contracts. The z-lines anchor the microfilaments, and while they do not contract (bec they're not a region), the distance between each z-line (that defines the sarcomere, as pointed out) will become smaller. . .:luck:
 
Top