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Adenosine Triphosphate is the full name of an important
chemical which is often abbreviated to ATP. It
consists of adenosine and three phosphate groups and is called triphosphate
because of it includes three phosphate
groups and has the chemical formula: C10H8N4O2NH2(OH)2(PO3H)3H
.
Adenosine Triphosphate plays an important role in muscle
actions (contraction and relaxation), as follows: The myosin
heads (within
the thick
filaments) include an enzyme called ATPase that splits Adenosine
triphosphate into
adenosine diphosphate and a phosphate group.
That is:
Adenosine Triphosphate_-->_ Adenosine
diphosphate + energy + inorganic Phosphate
Very many molecules
of Adenosine Triphosphate are split in this way
with every movement of every muscle. It cannot be stored, but is
used as it is produced by the body.
Each Adenosine Triphosphate molecule is recycled
2000 to
3000 times during a single day. The opposite to the above process is:
Adenosine diphosphate + inorganic Phosphate + energy _-->_ Adenosine
Triphosphate
This Section consists of short summaries about the
structures that form the muscles of the body.
This list is not exhaustive but is intended to be appropriate for students
of A-Level Human Biology, ITEC courses in massage and related subjects,
and some other courses in Health Sciences.
For more general information about Muscles see
the pages about: Anterior
Muscles, Posterior
Muscles, Facial
Muscles, Terminology
about Muscles, and the Structure
of Muscles.
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