myosin (redirected from myosin light chains)

my·o·sin  (m-sn)

n.

The commonest protein in muscle cells, responsible for the elastic and contractile properties of muscle. It combines with actin to form actomyosin.

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[Greek muos, genitive of ms, muscle; see myo- + -in.]

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myosin  (m-sn)

A protein found in muscle tissue as a thick filament made up of an aggregate of similar proteins. Myosin and the protein actin form the contractile units (sarcomeres) of skeletal muscle. In the sarcomere, actin and myosin filaments slide past each other to cause the shortening of a muscle fiber.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

myosin - the commonest protein in muscle; a globulin that combines with actin to form actomyosin actomyosin - a protein complex in muscle fibers; composed of myosin and actin; shortens when stimulated and causes muscle contractions globulin - a family of proteins found in blood and milk and muscle and in plant seed