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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Muscles, Joints and Movement

Contraction

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/kənˈtrækʃən/nounCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, contraction means: The shortening or tightening of a muscle when its fibers are stimulated, producing movement or force. In the heart, contraction pushes blood out of the chambers.

In Turkish: kasılma, kontraksiyon

How it is used

The verb is contract and the opposite is relax. Physiology lectures explain contraction with the sliding filament theory (actin and myosin). In an isometric contraction the muscle creates tension without moving; in an isotonic contraction its length changes.

Example sentences

  1. The release of calcium inside the muscle fiber triggers contraction.

  2. At rest, each contraction of the left ventricle pushes about 70 milliliters of blood into the aorta.

Common collocations

  • muscle contraction
  • isometric contraction
  • contract and relax
  • sliding filament theory
  • muscleA tissue or organ made of cells that can contract (shorten) to produce movement or force. The three types are skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle.
  • skeletal muscleMuscle attached to bones that moves the skeleton and is under voluntary (conscious) control. Under the microscope its long fibers look striped, so it is also called striated muscle.
  • ventricleOne of the two lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out: the right ventricle sends blood to the lungs and the left ventricle sends it to the rest of the body.
  • action potentialA brief electrical signal that travels along the membrane of a nerve or muscle cell. Sodium ions rush into the cell (depolarization), and then potassium ions flow out (repolarization).

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Muscles, Joints and Movement

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.