During muscle contraction, the I bands shorten due to the sliding of actin filaments over myosin filaments. The contraction causes the Z discs to move closer together, narrowing the I bands. This is a fundamental aspect of the sliding filament theory. ;
During muscle contraction, the I bands shorten according to the sliding filament theory. This occurs as actin filaments slide toward each other, resulting in the Z discs moving closer together. Therefore, the correct answer is A) The I bands shorten.
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