Muscle contraction is the tightening, shortening, or lengthening of muscles when you do some activity. It can happen when you hold or pick up something, or when you stretch or exercise with weights.

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas are the first to use genetically engineered mice containing a fluorescent molecule to examine in real time the chemical reactions that result in ...

A new study by researchers at Yale and Johns Hopkins University has discovered how asthmatic bronchial spasms — muscle contractions in the airway that cause difficulty breathing in asthma patients— ...

Figure 1: Bitter tastants of diverse structures evoke increases in [Ca 2+] i in human airway smooth muscle cells. Figure 2: Bitter tastants induce relaxation of intact mouse tracheas in a ...

Actomyosin is a protein complex composed of actin and myosin. It is found in muscle fibers where it plays a role in muscle contraction. Actin is one of the most abundant proteins in eukaryotes. It ...

Medically reviewed by Katrina Carter, DPT Key Takeaways Voluntary muscles can be controlled by the person, like muscles in your neck and legs. Involuntary muscles work without you thinking about it, ...

A research group led by Dr. Keisuke Obara, Dr. Kento Yoshioka, and Professor Yoshio Tanaka from the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, has ...

Timely control of muscle contractions allows us to effectively interact with the world around us. Thanks to controlled muscle contractions, we can swing a golf club or turn on car blinkers, walk to ...

Research team from the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University — including Associate Professor Keisuke Obara, Lecturer Kento Yoshioka, and Professor ...

Editor’s note: Dana Santas, known as the “Mobility Maker,” is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, and is the author of the book “Practical ...

Panel A shows the microscopic myoarchitecture of the circular and longitudinal muscle layers of the lower esophageal sphincter and stomach. The circular muscle fibers of the esophagus cross each other ...