Myosin

Myosin inhibitors and activators act on the actin-based motor proteins of muscle and non-muscle cells. Myosins hydrolyze adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and convert that chemical energy into movement along actin filaments. Blebbistatin was introduced in 2003 as a selective inhibitor of non-muscle myosin II and is used to study cytokinesis and cortical tension. The catalogue lists it as (-)-Blebbistcitin together with para-Nitroblebbistatin, a photostable analog suited to imaging experiments. Omecamtiv mecarbil works in the opposite direction and accelerates the cardiac myosin ATPase cycle. ML 7 hydrochloride and ML-9 hydrochloride act upstream on myosin light chain kinase, as does the neighboring MLCK category.