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What occurs during the crossbridge cycle?

Calcium is actively transported out of the cell

Actin and myosin bind and muscle fiber contracts

The correct choice highlights a crucial aspect of muscle contraction, specifically during the crossbridge cycle, which is central to the mechanism of how muscles generate force. During this cycle, actin filaments and myosin heads interact through binding, leading to the sliding of actin over myosin. This interaction ultimately results in muscle fiber contraction, a fundamental process required for any muscle activity.

In the crossbridge cycle, when the myosin heads bind to actin, they pull the actin filaments toward the center of the sarcomere—the functional unit of muscle fibers. This interaction also relies on the presence of calcium ions and ATP. The energy released from ATP hydrolysis is what allows the myosin heads to change shape and execute the power stroke that pulls actin and causes contraction.

The context for the other options involves different aspects of muscle physiology. Actively transporting calcium out of the cell refers more to muscle relaxation processes, while tropomyosin's role and calcium binding to troponin are part of the regulatory mechanisms that enable or inhibit the binding of actin and myosin. While all these processes are integral to muscle function, they do not specifically define what occurs during the crossbridge cycle itself.

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Tropomyosin blocks actin-binding sites

Calcium binds to the troponin complex

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