The Z band in skeletal muscle in rigor exhibits the activated lattice form

The Z band of skeletal muscle is a tetragonal array of interdigitating thin filaments from adjacent sarcomeres held together by cross connecting filaments. Two visually unique forms of the Z band (small square, ss, and basketweave, bw) can be observed by TEM of cross sections. The ss form is found in relaxed muscle and the bw is found in maximally activated muscle. The average Z spacing in the bw form is 20% largerthan in the ss form. There is a correlation between active tension and the form of the Z band. This correlation suggests that cross bridge binding in the A band is directly related to the form of the Z band. In rigor, the cross bridges are completely bound; therefore, we predicted that the Z band would exhibit the bw form. To test this hypothesis we compared unstimulated muscle to glycerinated muscle in rigor.