Immunofluorescent studies for myosin, actin, tropomyosin and alpha-actinin in cultured cardiomyopathic hamster heart cells.
Primary cultures of cardiac myocytes from newborn normal and genetically cardiomyopathic (strain UM-X7.1) hamsters were analyzed by electron microscopy and immunofluorescent staining for myosin, actin, tropomyosin, and alpha-actinin. Antibody staining of these contractile proteins demonstrates that both normal and cardiomyopathic (CM) myocytes contain prominent myofibrils after 3 days in culture, although the CM myofibrils are disarrayed and not aligned as those in normal cells. The disarray becomes even more pronounced in CM cells after 5 days in culture. The immunofluorescent staining patterns of individual myofibrils in normal and CM cells were similar for myosin, actin, and tropomyosin. However, alpha-actinin staining reveals that the CM myofibrils have abnormally wide and irregularly shaped Z bands. Electron microscopy confirms the irregular Z-band appearance as well as the myofibril disarray. Thus, CM cardiomyocytes clearly show an aberrant pattern of myofibril structure and organization in culture.
D000185:Actinin / Q000032:analysis*; D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008647:Mesocricetus; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000032:analysis*; D009218:Myosins / Q000032:analysis*; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000032:analysis*
D000199:Actins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D014335:Tropomyosin; D000185:Actinin; D009218:Myosins