Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Resting Tension in Snail Muscle

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

WHEN weighted with even a very small load, the smooth retractor of the snail's pharynx extends to great lengths1. This phenomenon has been taken to indicate an almost complete absence of elastic material in parallel with the fibres of that muscle2. In connexion with work to be published elsewhere, we have been able to show that the snail muscle actually has a parallel elastic component which produces resting tension at appropriate lengths.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bozler, E., Z. vergl. Physiol., 12, 579 (1930).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Hill, A. V., Nature, 166, 415 (1950).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Aubert, X., Roquet, M. L., and van der Elst, J., Arch. Int. Physiol., 59, 239 (1951).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Biological Laboratory, Plymouth

    B. C. ABBOTT & J. LOWY

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Belfast,

    B. C. ABBOTT & J. LOWY

Authors
  1. B. C. ABBOTT
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. LOWY
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ABBOTT, B., LOWY, J. Resting Tension in Snail Muscle. Nature 178, 147–148 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/178147a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/178147a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation