noun
- Thin protein filaments found in muscle cells that are responsible for muscle contraction; composed primarily of actin and myosin proteins.
Usage: technical; biology; plural form; singular is myofilament
Examples
- Myofilaments are the basic contractile units within muscle fibers.
- The interaction between actin and myosin myofilaments generates the force needed for muscle contraction.
- During exercise, myofilaments slide past each other in a process called the sliding filament mechanism.
- Damage to myofilaments can result in muscle weakness or dysfunction.
- Under a microscope, myofilaments appear as organized arrays within the sarcomere.