Summary
Structural changes of guinea pig taenia coli and rat anococcygeus muscle during contraction were studied by X-ray diffraction. The diffraction pattern of the taenia coli showed the 14.4-nm myosin reflection, the 5.9-nm actin layer-line and a diffuse equatorial peak at 1/11.4 nm-1. On application of carbachol, the muscle contracted and the intensity of the 14.4-nm reflection showed a concentration-dependent decrease: the maximum decrease was 24% at 2×10-5 M. Such an intensity decrease was not observed in K-contrature (154 mM). The intensity of the 5.9-nm actin layer-line did not change appreciably on activation. The equatorial peak became broader during contraction. The 14.4-nm myosin reflection of the anococcygeus muscle was weak. Its intensity increased by 106% during contraction induced by 2×10-5 M phenylephrine and by 75% during K-contracture. These results suggest that the number of myosin filaments may increase during contraction of rat anococcygeus muscle but not guinea pig taenia coli.
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Watanabe, M., Takemori, S. & Yagi, N. X-ray diffraction study on mammalian visceral smooth muscles in resting and activated states. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 14, 469–475 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00297209
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00297209