Muscle contraction

Learning objectives

To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in muscle contraction.
To understand muscle contraction at the levels of both the sarcomere and the entire muscle.
To clarify the principal stages of muscle contraction.
To clarify the roles of myofilaments of actin and myosin.
To understand the role of ATP in muscle contraction.
To understand how changes in the conformation of myosin permits the sliding of myofilaments.

This animation presents the molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction.