Tropomyosin
Tropomyosin
Tropomyosin (pronounced tro-po-my-o-sin) is a type of protein that plays a crucial role in muscle contraction. It is a component of the thin filament, which is part of the contractile apparatus in muscle cells.
Etymology
The term "Tropomyosin" is derived from the Greek words "tropos" meaning "turn", and "myos" meaning "muscle". It was first identified in 1946 by Hugh Huxley, a British biophysicist.
Function
Tropomyosin, along with troponin, is responsible for regulating muscle contraction. It is a long, flexible protein that wraps around the actin filament in muscle cells, blocking the myosin-binding sites on actin and preventing contraction. When a muscle cell is stimulated to contract, calcium ions bind to troponin, causing a conformational change in the troponin-tropomyosin complex that exposes the myosin-binding sites and allows contraction to occur.
Related Terms
- Actin: A protein that forms the thin filament in muscle cells. Tropomyosin wraps around the actin filament and blocks the myosin-binding sites.
- Myosin: A protein that forms the thick filament in muscle cells. It binds to actin to cause muscle contraction.
- Troponin: A complex of three proteins that bind to tropomyosin. It regulates muscle contraction by responding to changes in calcium ion concentration.
- Calcium ions: Ions that bind to troponin and trigger muscle contraction.
- Muscle contraction: The process by which muscle cells generate force. It is regulated by the interaction of actin, myosin, tropomyosin, and troponin.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tropomyosin
- Wikipedia's article - Tropomyosin
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