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Myosin filaments are a crucial component of muscle tissue and are involved in muscle contraction. These filaments are composed primarily of the protein myosin. Myosin is a motor protein, meaning it has the ability to convert chemical energy, typically from ATP hydrolysis, into mechanical force. This force is then used to generate movement. Myosin filaments are thick filaments, meaning they are wider than the thin filaments found in muscle. They are arranged in a highly organized structure within the sarcomere, the basic contractile unit of muscle.

The structure of a myosin molecule is often described as having a tail and a head. The tail portion of multiple myosin molecules assemble together to form the backbone of the thick filament. The head portions extend outwards from the filament and are capable of binding to actin, the protein that forms the thin filaments. This interaction between myosin heads and actin is the basis of the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction. During contraction, myosin heads bind to actin, pull on it, and then detach, repeating this cycle to slide the actin filaments past the myosin filaments. This sliding action shortens the sarcomere and, consequently, the muscle. The coordinated action of many sarcomeres leads to overall muscle movement.