Skeletal muscleSkeletal muscle (commonly referred to as muscle) is one of the three types of vertebrate muscle tissue, the others being cardiac muscle and smooth muscle. They are part of the musculoskeletal system, and typically are attached by tendons to the bones of a skeleton. The skeletal muscle cells (myocytes) are much longer than in the other types of muscle tissue, and are also known as muscle fibers.
ProteinBiomolecule consisting of chains of amino acid residuesA representation of the 3D structure of the protein myoglobin showing turquoise α-helices. This protein was the first to have its structure solved by X-ray crystallography. Toward the right-center among the coils, a prosthetic group called a heme group (shown in gray) with a bound oxygen molecule (red).Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acidresidues.
John KendrewSir John Cowdery Kendrew, CBEFRS (24 March 1917 – 23 August 1997) was an Englishbiochemist, crystallographer, and science administrator. Kendrew shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Max Perutz, for their work at the Cavendish Laboratory to investigate the structure of haem-containing proteins.
HemoglobinHemoglobin (haemoglobin, Hb or Hgb) is a protein containing iron that facilitates the transportation of oxygen in red blood cells. Almost all vertebrates contain hemoglobin, with the sole exception of the fish family Channichthyidae. Hemoglobin in the blood carries oxygen from the respiratory organs (lungs or gills) to the other tissues of the body, where it releases the oxygen to enable aerobic respiration which powers an animal's metabolism.
MuscleMuscle is a specialised soft tissue, one of the four basic types of animal tissues. There are three types of muscle tissues in vertebrates: skeletal muscle tissue, cardiac muscle tissue, and smooth muscle tissue. Muscle tissue gives skeletal muscles the ability to contract and relax. Muscle tissue contains special contractile proteins called actin and myosin which interact to cause movement.
Cooperative bindingCooperative binding occurs in molecular binding systems containing more than one type, or species, of molecule and in which one of the partners is not mono-valent and can bind more than one molecule of the other species. In general, molecular binding is an interaction between molecules that results in a stable physical association between those molecules.
OxygenChemical element with atomic number 8 (O)–↑O↓Snitrogen ← oxygen → fluorine
Strain (injury)A strain is an acute soft tissue injury that occurs to a muscle. The equivalent injury to a ligament is a sprain. A strain is tearing of some of the muscle fibers. Strains are usually the result of an eccentric contraction, meaning that the muscle is lengthened while it is contracting. The body repairs strains. Treatments can alleviate symptoms. Signs and symptomsThe symptoms of strain are pain and interference with activities and difficulty generating strength due to pain.
Amino acidOrganic compounds containing amine and carboxylic groupsStructure of a typical L-alpha-amino acid in the "neutral" formAmino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acidfunctional groups. Although over 500 amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the 22 α-amino acids incorporated into proteins. Only these 22 appear in the genetic code of life.
X-ray crystallographyTechnique used for determining crystal structures and identifying mineral compoundsTo determine the 3D structure of a crystal, an X-ray beam passes through a crystal and some X-rays are diffracted into a pattern that is indicative of the particular arrangements of atoms in the crystal.A powder X-ray diffractometer in motionX-ray crystallography is the experimental science of determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to diffract in specific directions.
IronChemical element with atomic number 26 (Fe)–↑Fe↓Rumanganese ← iron → cobalt
Smooth muscleSmoothmuscle is one of the three major types of vertebratemuscle tissue, the others being skeletal and cardiac muscle. It can also be found in invertebrates and is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. It is non-striated, so-called because it has no sarcomeres and therefore no striations (bands or stripes). It can be divided into two subgroups, single-unit and multi-unit smooth muscle.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.