Actin and myosin interactions are utilized in many types of movement, including the movement generated by muscles. Explain how the movement of myosin down an actin filament can generate contraction of a muscle
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Answer: On the microscopic level, it is important to realize that the actin filaments align with each other and are connected directly or indirectly to some portion of the cell membrane. Myosin is also anchored to proteins inside the cell. When myosin undergoes its cycle of binding, pulling actin, then releasing so it can rebind to a point farther down, it pulls the actin filaments past itself. Since myosin is anchored by proteins in the cell, it is unable to move. This means that eventually the points of actin that are attached to the cell membrane also need to move. As a result, the cell shape is changed, frequently by becoming shorter. If all the muscle cells are attached end to end and they all shorten, then this means the muscle as a whole becomes shorter. It is the shortening of the muscle as a whole that is referred to as a contraction.
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