Related topics: muscular dystrophy , skeletal muscle



Muscle

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Muscle (from Latin musculus, diminutive of mus "mouse") is the contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to produce force and cause motion. Muscles can cause either locomotion of the organism itself or movement of internal organs. Cardiac and smooth muscle contraction occurs without conscious thought and is necessary for survival. Examples are the contraction of the heart and peristalsis which pushes food through the digestive system. Voluntary contraction of the skeletal muscles is used to move the body and can be finely controlled. Examples are movements of the eye, or gross movements like the quadriceps muscle of the thigh. There are two broad types of voluntary muscle fibers: slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow twitch fibers contract for long periods of time but with little force while fast twitch fibers contract quickly and powerfully but fatigue very rapidly.

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News tagged with muscle


Motorized knee can make you run faster

Motorized knee can make you run faster

Technology / Engineering

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (10) | comments 5

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the Tsukuba University in Japan have come up with a motorized knee you can attach to your leg to make you run faster and use less muscle power.





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A novel gene found for childhood-onset asthma

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created 20 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Pediatric researchers have identified a novel gene involved in childhood asthma, in one of the largest gene studies to date of the common respiratory disease. Because the gene, called DENND1B, affects cells and signaling ...


Subtle change dramatically reduces pathogenic potential of Huntington's protein

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Scientists have identified a key molecular switch that may drive the onset of Huntington's disease (HD), an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that leads to severe disruptions in muscle coordination and cognitive function. ...


Scientists discover how the brain encodes memories at a cellular level

Scientists discover how the brain encodes memories at a cellular level

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (15) | comments 7

Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have made a major discovery in how the brain encodes memories. The finding, published in the December 24 issue of the journal Neuron, could eventually lead to the development ...


Understanding relationship of proteins, fatty acids could help treat diseases

Understanding relationship of proteins, fatty acids could help treat diseases

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- It's widely understood that eating a diet high in saturated fats increases the risk for a long list of chronic and deadly diseases, including diabetes and coronary heart disease. Understanding ...


EPA, Army Corps urged to consider separating Great Lakes, river basin

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

The once-radical idea of somehow plugging the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to stop the flow of unwanted species from spilling between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basin is quickly picking up political support.


Scientists take a step towards uncovering the histone code

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Dec 20, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (6) | comments 1

Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have determined the structures of two enzymes that customize histones, the spool-like proteins around which DNA coils inside the cell.


Disparity in use of implantable devices to prevent sudden death in heart failure patients

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 18, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

A study of heart failure patients who meet national guidelines for devices that stabilize and strengthen the heart's electrical system found that only half of eligible patients received the devices. The study, which is the ...


Umbilical cord could be new source of plentiful stem cells, researchers say

Biology / Biotechnology

created Dec 17, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Stem cells that could one day provide therapeutic options for muscle and bone disorders can be easily harvested from the tissue of the umbilical cord, just as the blood that goes through it provides precursor cells to treat ...



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