title: Study of potassium deficiency in cardiac muscle: quantitative X-ray microanalysis and cryotechniques.
abstract: An imbalance of potassium in cardiac muscle causes an alteration of heart function. The distribution and concentration of potassium in rat papillary heart muscle was studied using cryofixation and X-ray microanalysis. Freeze-dried cryosections and sections of freeze-dried, embedded tissue were analysed. Bulk frozen specimens were freeze-dried either in a vacuum or by a new technique using liquid propane as a cryodehydration medium. These two methods of freeze-drying were tested for elemental retention in other specimens, with comparable results. A potassium concentration of 120 mmol/l was measured in normal myocytes of cardiac papillary muscle compared to 80 mmol/l in myocytes of animals stressed by a temperature of 45 degrees C for 1 h. The presumed physiological significance of the findings is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Physics, U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, Moscow Region.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pogorelov
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Allachverdov
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Burovina
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazay
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pogorelova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010210:Papillary Muscles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D011191:Potassium Deficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011407:Propane; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000473:pathology*; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium; D011407:Propane