Biophysical Journal 13: 437-448 (1973)
© 1973 the Biophysical Society

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The Stiffness of the Flagella of Impaled Bull Sperm

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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