Coordinated activation of muscle fibres by different conduction velocities in branches of a crustacean motor axon.
Higher conduction velocities in branches of the fast excitor axon to distal muscle fibres ensure that these fibres are activated almost simultaneously with proximal fibres in the claw closer muscle of lobsters, producing a contraction of maximal force.
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D005121:Extremities; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D008121:Nephropidae / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction