Final answer:
Actin and myosin are the two contractile proteins involved in skeletal muscle contraction. The sliding filament theory explains how these proteins interact to generate muscle contractions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two contractile proteins involved in the contraction of skeletal muscle are actin and myosin. The sliding filament theory of skeletal muscle contraction explains how these proteins interact to generate muscle contractions. According to this theory, myosin heads bind to actin filaments, pull them towards the center of the sarcomere, and then detach and reposition to repeat the process. This repetitive movement of myosin heads sliding along actin filaments shortens the sarcomere, leading to muscle contraction.