Calcium shifts accompanying rest-dependent phenomena in atrial muscle of guinea-pig heart.
Calcium shifts accompanying rest and post-rest phenomena in isolated left atrial appendages of guinea-pig heart were investigated by means of isotope 45Ca2+. Experiments were performed under conditions of full equilibration of preparations with isotope-containing solution (at least 45 min) in order to investigate the changes in content of exchangeable Ca, or at short exposure to isotope (2-5 min) in order to measure the excitation-dependent Ca2+ influx. Atria stimulated at the rate of 60/min for 55 min in radioactive solution contained 3.79 +/- 0.21 mM of 45Ca2+/kg of wet weight (w.w.). The rested preparations contained 2.61 +/- 0.23 mM/kg w.w. When the previously stimulated for 45 min atria were allowed to rest for 10 min, their content of 45Ca2+ dropped to 3.01 +/- 0.17 mM/kg w.w. despite continued exposure to this isotope. The first post-rest contraction was by 50% +/- 25% stronger than the control steady-state beats. Contractile force (CF) decreased during the two following beats to 25% of control. Calcium-45 content dropped during these beats to 2.50 +/- 0.14 mM/kg w.w. whereas influx of 45Ca2+ amounted to 0.24 mM/kg w.w. CF recovered to control values during 10 min of the following stimulation. Calcium-45 content reached at this time 4.09 +/- 0.12 mM/kg w.w. It is proposed that there are two intracellular store compartments in guinea-pig atrial muscle. The capacity of one of them is rate-dependent and its Ca2+ is lost at rest. This Ca2+ is partially trapped by the other compartment (presumably sarcoplasmic reticulum) and is released to activate the strong post-rest contraction.
Prokopczuk
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A
Department of Clinical Physiology, Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education, Warsaw.
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*
D002118:Calcium