Figure 1. General features of the tension response to a ramp stretch and its analysis.

The tension response (upper trace) induced by a moderately fast ramp stretch (bottom trace; L, fibre length) are displayed at two time scales in A and B. In A, the tension rises rapidly during the stretch to reach a peak (PT) at the end of the ramp. Thereafter, it decays in a complex manner to reach a plateau (P₃) tension at the stretched length when sarcomere length remains relatively constant. The rising phase of the tension response in B consists of an initial rapid tension rise to a break (arrow; P₁) and a slower tension rise (P₂). The dotted trace in B is sarcomere length record normalized to P₃ tension and represents the net P₃ tension response. Subtracting the P₃ tension from the original tension response gives the difference trace (dashed line) which in this case consists of P₁ and P₂ tension components. All traces are from a fast-twitch muscle fibre bundle at 10 °C.