A process in which force is generated within muscle tissue, resulting in a change in muscle geometry. Force generation involves a chemo-mechanical energy conversion step that is carried out by the actin/myosin complex activity, which generates force through ATP hydrolysis.

The process whereby a relatively unspecialized cell acquires the specialized features of an osteoblast, a mesodermal or neural crest cell that gives rise to bone.

The sliding of actin thin filaments and myosin thick filaments past each other in muscle contraction. This involves a process of interaction of myosin located on a thick filament with actin located on a thin filament. During this process ATP is split and forces are generated.

The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the skeletal myofibril over time, from its formation to the mature structure. A skeletal myofibril is a myofibril specific to skeletal muscle cells.

The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the cardiac myofibril over time, from its formation to the mature structure. A cardiac myofibril is a myofibril specific to cardiac muscle cells.

The multicellular organismal process in which the heart decreases in volume in a characteristic way to propel blood through the body.

Muscle contraction of cardiac muscle tissue.

The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the brain over time, from its formation to the mature structure. Brain development begins with patterning events in the neural tube and ends with the mature structure that is the center of thought and emotion. The brain is responsible for the coordination and control of bodily activities and the interpretation of information from the senses (sight, hearing, smell, etc.).

Any process that activates or increases the frequency, rate or extent of actin-dependent ATPase activity.

The part of the cytoskeleton (the internal framework of a cell) composed of actin and associated proteins. Includes actin cytoskeleton-associated complexes.

The part of the cytoplasm that does not contain organelles but which does contain other particulate matter, such as protein complexes.

The part of the cytoskeleton (the internal framework of a cell) composed of actin and associated proteins. Includes actin cytoskeleton-associated complexes.

A contractile actin filament bundle that consists of short actin filaments with alternating polarity, cross-linked by alpha-actinin and possibly other actin bundling proteins, and with myosin present in a periodic distribution along the fiber.

The part of the cytoplasm that does not contain organelles but which does contain other particulate matter, such as protein complexes.

Any of the various filamentous elements that form the internal framework of cells, and typically remain after treatment of the cells with mild detergent to remove membrane constituents and soluble components of the cytoplasm. The term embraces intermediate filaments, microfilaments, microtubules, the microtrabecular lattice, and other structures characterized by a polymeric filamentous nature and long-range order within the cell. The various elements of the cytoskeleton not only serve in the maintenance of cellular shape but also have roles in other cellular functions, including cellular movement, cell division, endocytosis, and movement of organelles.

A form of the tropomyosin dimer found associated with actin and the troponin complex in muscle thin filaments.

Small region on the surface of a cell that anchors the cell to the extracellular matrix and that forms a point of termination of actin filaments.

A lipid bilayer along with all the proteins and protein complexes embedded in it an attached to it.

A vesicle that is released into the extracellular region by fusion of the limiting endosomal membrane of a multivesicular body with the plasma membrane. Extracellular exosomes, also simply called exosomes, have a diameter of about 40-100 nm.

Filaments formed of actin and associated proteins; attached to Z discs at either end of sarcomeres in myofibrils.

A contractile actin filament bundle that consists of short actin filaments with alternating polarity, cross-linked by alpha-actinin and possibly other actin bundling proteins, and with myosin present in a periodic distribution along the fiber.

An actin-rich adhesion structure characterized by formation upon cell substrate contact and localization at the substrate-attached part of the cell, contain an F-actin-rich core surrounded by a ring structure containing proteins such as vinculin and talin, and have a diameter of 0.5 mm.

All of the contents of a cell excluding the plasma membrane and nucleus, but including other subcellular structures.

A filamentous structure formed of a two-stranded helical polymer of the protein actin and associated proteins. Actin filaments are a major component of the contractile apparatus of skeletal muscle and the microfilaments of the cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells. The filaments, comprising polymerized globular actin molecules, appear as flexible structures with a diameter of 5-9 nm. They are organized into a variety of linear bundles, two-dimensional networks, and three dimensional gels. In the cytoskeleton they are most highly concentrated in the cortex of the cell just beneath the plasma membrane.

The dense covering of microvilli on the apical surface of a epithelial cells in tissues such as the intestine, kidney, and choroid plexus; the microvilli aid absorption by increasing the surface area of the cell.

The part of the cytoskeleton (the internal framework of a cell) composed of actin and associated proteins. Includes actin cytoskeleton-associated complexes.

The portion of the cytoskeleton that lies just beneath the plasma membrane.