Stress fiber

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/stress-fiber

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary function?Generate contractile force for cellular adhesion, migration, and morphogenesis
2. What are stress fibers?Stress fibers are tiny ropes made of actin and myosin inside cells. They help cells keep their shape and pull on their surroundings. They look like little cables that can tighten and relax.
3. How do stress fibers help cells move?Stress fibers pull on the cell’s back, making the cell move forward. They connect to special spots called focal adhesions that stick to the outside world. When the fibers contract, the cell’s rear pulls back and the front pushes ahead.

Actomyosin Cytoskeleton: A dynamic network of actin filaments and myosin motor proteins that provides structural support and enables cellular movement.
Mechanotransduction: The process by which cells convert mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals.
Focal Adhesions: Protein complexes that link the cell's cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix, mediating cell adhesion and mechanosensing.