ELECTROSTATIC FORCES AS A POSSIBLE MECHANISM UNDERLYING SKELETAL-MUSCLE CONTRACTION

A possible mechanism is put forward to explain the sliding of thin fil aments during muscle contraction. In our model, repulsion due to elect rostatic forces is the mechanism which triggers crossbridges to cause the thin filaments to slide. The mechanism proposed could operate rega rdless of whether the myosin heads rotate or bend, although recent exp erimental evidence seems to confirm the latter action. In spite of its simplicity, the model prediction of the velocity of sliding of the th in filaments agrees well with experimental values from in vitro motili ty assays.