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Glossary Term

Sarcomere

A segment of a myofibril (muscle cell) from one Z disk to the next.  This is the smallest functional unit of a muscle cell. A muscle shortens because all of the individual sarcomeres shorten, pulling Z disks closer to one another. Example: A sarcomere is the smallest functional unit of a muscle cell, discussed when teaching contractile proteins, the sliding filament theory and length/tension relationships.

Sarcomere: A segment of a myofibril (muscle cell) from one Z disk to the next. This is the smallest functional unit of a muscle cell. A muscle shortens because all of the individual sarcomeres shorten, pulling Z disks closer to one another. Example: A sarcomere is the smallest functional unit of a muscle cell, discussed when teaching contractile proteins, the sliding filament theory and length/tension relationships.

  1. Saladin, K. (2014). Anatomy & physiology: The unity of form and function. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, New York. ISBN: 9780073403717

Image: By User:Sameerb - en:WP; Author User:Sameerb in English WP, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=764619

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Synonyms

  1. Muscle cell unit
  2. Myofibril segment
  3. Z disk to Z disk unit
  4. Sarcomere