When a muscle contracts, the parts of a sarcomere "shorten" and come closer together. Each cardiac muscle cell can have over 5,000 sarcomeres, which compounds both the shortening and relaxation events ...

The heart is the body's hardest-working muscle. Whether you're awake or asleep, or exercising or resting, your heart is always at work. It pumps blood through arteries to deliver oxygen to organs and ...

Calf muscle, located at the back of the lower leg, is also referred to as the body's "second heart". The calf muscle performs ...

No one can live without a heart pumping blood to the rest of the body. New research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine reveals more information about this vital function and how it’s ...

This is an article from Curious Kids, a series for children of all ages. The Conversation is asking young people to send in questions they’d like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome: find ...

Most people think of calf muscles as essential for balance, walking, and athletic performance—but their role goes far beyond movement. Emerging research and expert insights reveal that your calves ...

Working with heart muscle cells from diabetic rats, scientists at Johns Hopkins have located what they say is the epicenter of mischief wreaked by too much blood sugar and used a sugar-gobbling enzyme ...

The heart is a muscle like no other, beating 60 to 100 times per minute on average, around the clock. But when it grows weak, it can lead to serious problems: from debilitating shortness of breath and ...