The muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organ (GTO) are both components of the nervous system which function to influence one’s movement. The Golgi tendon organ and the muscle spindles function with each other reflexively to regulate the stiffness of muscles. Upon the GTO being stimulated, the associated muscles are caused to relax by the interruption of their contraction. When a GTO inhibits a muscle, it is referred to as autogenic inhibition. Functionally, the GTO is in contrast to the muscle spindles, which induces contraction of muscles.
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Muscle Spindle
- These are proprioceptors – sense organs receiving information from muscles that are sensitive to stretch and its pace/speed
- Upon stretching, when a message is sensed that the endpoint of the stretch is reached, spindles are put across a reflex arc signal to the spinal column indicating not to further stretch
- This type of sense organs safeguard against stretching rapidly or overstretching and hence from being hurt
- An example of a muscle spindle activity is a sudden movement of the lower leg responding to a distinct tap on the patellar tendon found below the kneecap – knee jerk reflex
Golgi Tendon
- It is a proprioceptor – sense organs receiving information from tendons that are sensitive to tension
- Upon lifting weight, it is the Golgi tendon organ that senses and instructs on how much tension the muscle is exerting
- In case the muscle tension is too much, the Golgi tendon organs inhibit muscles from generating more force, hence protecting from injury
- The GTO senses muscular tension in the muscles when stretched or contracted. At the time of contraction, when GTO is activated, it induces inhibition of the contraction – an automatic reflex
- At the time of stretching, when GTO is activated, they inhibit the muscle spindle activity in the working muscle in order to achieve a deeper stretch
Difference Between Muscle Spindle and Golgi Tendon
Find below the main differences between muscle spindles and the Golgi tendon.
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Muscle Spindle |
Golgi Tendon |
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What are they? |
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Small, spindle-shaped structures |
Sensory structures in the muscle-tendon unit |
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Composition |
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Numerous differentiated muscle fibres are enclosed in a spindle-shaped connective tissue sac |
Braided strands of collagen that are encapsulated |
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What does it sense? |
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Senses rate of lengthening and changes in the length of the muscle |
Senses changes in the muscle tension |
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Do they contract? |
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Yes |
No |
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Role |
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Involved in Reciprocal inhibition and stretch reflex |
Involved in Autogenic inhibition |
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organisation with extrafusal skeletal muscle |
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Are in parallel with extrafusal skeletal muscle |
Are in series with extrafusal skeletal muscle |
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Innervated by |
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Sensory and motor neurons |
Group Ib afferent neurons |
These were some differences between Muscle Spindle and Golgi Tendon. For more such articles, visit us at BYJU’S NEET.
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