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. 1973 May;13(5):437-48.
doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(73)85997-1.

The stiffness of the flagella of impaled bull sperm

C B Lindemann, W G Rudd, R Rikmenspoel

The stiffness of the flagella of impaled bull sperm

C B Lindemann et al. Biophys J. 1973 May.

Abstract

The elastic rigidity (stiffness) of impaled motionless bull sperm flagella has been determined by a manipulatory technique which permitted direct analytical treatment of the experimental system. The effects of external ATP and ADP were measured. It was found that ATP acts as a plasticizing agent, while ADP does not. The stiffness measured for flagella in a medium without ATP was 15 times greater than the value measured with 10 mM ATP present. The rigor-like stiffness measured with no ATP present is reversible with ATP and seems to be correlated to a transition in the state of the contractile system.

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References

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