The H Zone
The three sections along the length of a sarcomere are the A band, the I band, and the H zone. The A band is the dark region in the center of the sarcomere that contains both thick and thin filaments, while the I band is the light region at the ends of the sarcomere that contains thin filaments only. The H zone is the region in the center of the sarcomere where only thick filaments are present.
actin
Yes, it makes cool stuff
It is a section of the Sarcomere that stretches from one end of the Myosin filament to the other, and also includes parts of the Actin filaments that overlaps it.
Atrial depolarization is the first part of the cardiac cycle.Cardiac (and skeletal) muscle is made up of bundled stands of functional units called sarcomeres. Each sarcomere consists of two Z-disks, which mark the ends of each sarcomere, and alternating dark and light bands called A-bands and I-bands respectively. The I-band contains only actin (the main cytoskeletal protein in most cells) filaments whereas the A-band contains overlapping myosin (a "molecular motor" protein) and actin filaments in its periphery and only myosin filaments in the central region called the H-zone. The center of the H-zone is marked by an imaginary line (called the M-line) in which myosin extends in both directions. The sarcomere contracts inward toward the M-line. "Depolarization" occurs when an electrochemical event causes calcium cations to be released from a membranous network (similar to the the endoplasmic reticulum) called the sarcoplasmic reticulum and creates an action potential. The free Ca2+ binds to a specific troponin protein shifting a troponin/tropomyosin protein complex allowing the myosin head groups to bind to the actin filament. ATP hydrolysis causes conformational changes of the myosin filament which in effect "pulls" the actin filament toward the M-line of the sarcomere. The sarcomere can return to its resting potential by allowing potassium (K+) ions to flow out.
The three sections along the length of a sarcomere are the A band, the I band, and the H zone. The A band is the dark region in the center of the sarcomere that contains both thick and thin filaments, while the I band is the light region at the ends of the sarcomere that contains thin filaments only. The H zone is the region in the center of the sarcomere where only thick filaments are present.
Within skeletal muscle there are muscle fibres... and within muscle fibres there are myofibrils... and within a myofibril there is a sarcomere.Within the sarcomere there are 2 types of bands:-Actin (light)-Myosin (dark)There are different striations of these bands, this is what makes up the muscle fibre:The A band is where actin & myosin overlapp- it contains both myosin & actinThe I band only contains actinThe H zone only contains myosinThe Z line is in the centre of each I band, and marks the start of a sarcomere
The zone of overlap is the point where actin myofilaments overlay the myosin myofilaments as it (actin) gets pulled towards the m-line (mid-point of sarcomere). The zone of overlap increases during muscle contraction, resulting in the shortening of the muscle.
actin
sarcomere
Troponin
z disc
The basic unit of muscular contraction; the sarcomere.
Yes, it makes cool stuff
It is a section of the Sarcomere that stretches from one end of the Myosin filament to the other, and also includes parts of the Actin filaments that overlaps it.
Sarcomeres are composed of actin (thin filaments) and myosin (thick filaments).
Actin