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Contracted and relaxed muscle

Hands holding pens demonstrating contracted and relaxed muscles

Make a quick and easy model of sliding filament model by putting whiteboard markers or other fat pens (the thick filaments) between your fingers (the thin filaments). Now move your thin filamentsalong the thick filaments.

The first photograph on the right shows a contracted muscle where the thin filaments have moved along the thick filaments. The second photograph shows a relaxed muscle.

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato
Published:21 June 2007Size: 71.66 KB