title: A historical review of the concept of the left ventricle as a pump.
abstract: Although the concept of the left ventricle as pump has gradually evolved over the past 2000 years, the "modern era" of our understanding began in the 1880's. Studies by Howell and Donaldson, using an isolated heart-lung preparation, provided insight into the inter-relationship between preload, afterload and contractility. These concepts were further advanced by Frank, Henderson and Starling, all using isolated heart preparations. The development of new techniques by Wiggers and Hill in the 1920's and 1930's opened up entirely new areas of investigation using intact animal preparations (Wggers) and isolated muscle segments (Hill). Our debt to these investigators is enormous, and its is perhaps appropriate to reflect on their creative energies as we attempt to define more clearly the mechanical and biochemical functions of heart muscle.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004739:England; D005858:Germany; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D010827:Physiology / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States; D016276:Ventricular Function