APSM 3311: APPLIED EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

THE SARCOMERE

THE SARCOMERE
The regular arrangement of thin and thick filaments in the sarcomeres gives the myofibrils and the skeletal
muscle fibers light and dark bands (Figure 12.4). Lighter color bands with a dark stripe down the middle are
the I bands. The I bands contain only thin filaments, and the stripes are Z discs which secure the thin
filaments. A bands are dark-colored bands that extend the length of the thick filaments. In the A band of
relaxed muscle, thin filaments overlap the thick filaments except in the middle of the A band, the H zone,
which appears lighter. The M line is found in the middle of the H zone and secures the thick filaments.

Muscle fibers shorten because myosin heads on the thick filaments attach to the thin filaments and pull the
thin filaments past the thick filaments toward the M line. This action increases the overlap of thin and thick
filaments (Figure 12.4). As these filaments slide past each other in each sarcomere within each myofibril,
the ends of the muscle fiber are brought closer together, the I bands decrease in length, and the H zone
(lighter area) disappears. The increase in overlap of thin and thick filaments can be readily observed in
sarcomeres of skeletal muscle.
Label the electron micrograph of the sarcomere above, and identify which myofilaments are found
in each region.

a. Sarcomere Structure
none-interrupts I
• A band z disc
1. ____________ band
myofilaments: ____________________
• H zone M line
2. ____________ Myosin
myofilaments: ____________________
• I band H zone
3. ____________ Mysoin
myofilaments: ____________________
• M line I band
4. _____________ Actin
myofilaments: ____________________
• Z disc A band
5. _____________ Actin & Myosin
myofilaments: ____________________

Using the Images Below answer the following questions.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Sarcomere Structure

1. Do the lengths of the thin or thick filaments change when a muscle contracts? Explain.

They slide past each other but do not change in size or thickness.

2. Does the A band length change when a muscle contracts? Explain.

No because the A band is equivalent to the length of the myosin

filaments and the length of the myosin filaments does change
during contraction.

3. Does the I band length change when a muscle contracts? Explain.

Yes, the I band does actually becomes shorter during muscle contraction.
This is because the the thick and thin filaments overlap.

4. Does the H zone length change when a muscle contracts? Explain.

Yes, the H zone becomes shorter and is no longer visible when the
muscle is fully contracted because the thin filaments are pulled over the
thick ones.

5. Is the sarcomere in Figure 12.5 fully contracted? Explain.

No, it is only partially contracted. The key indicators are that the
I band is longer and the H zone is still visible.

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In Figure 12.9, rank the TEMs from 1 (least) to 3 (greatest) according to number of cross-bridges
formed.

3 Maximally contracted

1 Relaxed muscle

2 Partially contracted muscle

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