ACTOMYOSIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does actomyosin mean? 

• ACTOMYOSIN (noun)
  The noun ACTOMYOSIN has 1 sense:

1. a protein complex in muscle fibers; composed of myosin and actin; shortens when stimulated and causes muscle contractions

  Familiarity information: ACTOMYOSIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ACTOMYOSIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A protein complex in muscle fibers; composed of myosin and actin; shortens when stimulated and causes muscle contractions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("actomyosin" is a kind of...):

protein (any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes)

Meronyms (substance of "actomyosin"):

actin (one of the proteins into which actomyosin can be split; can exist in either a globular or a fibrous form)

myosin (the commonest protein in muscle; a globulin that combines with actin to form actomyosin)

 Context examples 

Increased myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity is expected to increase the ATP utilization by actomyosin at submaximal Ca2+ concentrations, which might cause an imbalance in energy supply and demand in the heart under severe stress.

(Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

The team thus hypothesized that the tight-fitting nucleus might be pulled forward like a piston by actomyosin contractions to pressurize the front of the cell and form lobopodia.

(New Mechanism of Cell Movement Revealed, NIH)

Inhibiting contraction of actomyosin, a structure of actin and myosin, reduced pressure inside cells and caused a switch from lobopodial to lamellipodial movement.

(New Mechanism of Cell Movement Revealed, NIH)