Sarcomere

A sarcomere (Greek sárx = "flesh", méros = "part") is the basic unit of a muscle. Muscles are composed of tubular muscle cells (myocytes or myofibers). Muscle cells are composed of tubular myofibrils. Myofibrils are composed of repeating sections of sarcomeres, which appear under the microscope as dark and light bands. Sarcomeres are composed of long, fibrous proteins that slide past each other when the muscles contract and relax.