title: Isolation, characterization and adhesion of calcium-tolerant myocytes from the adult rat heart.
abstract: High yields of Ca2+ - stable myocytes were obtained by perfusion of adult rat heart with a buffered collagenase medium followed by mincing and three additional digestion periods. Release of lactate dehydrogenase, respiratory control, content of ATP and creatine phosphate, electrical stimulation and attachment to extracellular matrix components indicated that the sarcolemma of the isolated myocytes remained intact and that the cells maintained some of the most basic physiological functions. The myocytes maintained their rod-shape in a medium containing 2.5 mM of Ca2+ and their release of LDH was slow. Some of the myocytes were contracting spontaneously, at a low rate, in an abrupt end-to-end contraction. Other cells appeared quiescent but they were all able to respond to external electrical stimulus. The oxygen consumption was measured by a perifusion method. In different preparations the basal consumption was 14-26 nmol O2/min X 10(5) rod-shaped myocytes. Freshly isolated rod-shaped heart cells attached in 30 minutes to dishes coated with collagen type IV, laminin or fibronectin but did not attach to dishes coated with collagen type I or III or to collagen gels. Attachment occurred at the ends of the cells.
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010477:Perfusion; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D010725:Phosphocreatine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D002118:Calcium