title: Beating rate of isolated neonatal cardiomyocytes is regulated by the stable microtubule subset.
abstract: We investigated the roles of microtubule (MT) dynamics (growth and shrinkage), the stable, nongrowing MT subset, the posttranslationally detyrosinated MT subset, and artificially elevated tubulin levels in the negative regulation of heart cell beating rate. We manipulated the MT populations in isolated, neonatal cardiomyocytes obtained from normal animals in several ways and then measured heart cell beating rate directly. We found that the stabilized population of MTs was sufficient to maintain a normal beating rate, whereas MT dynamics and detyrosination made no observable contribution. Furthermore, by directly and acutely increasing the level of tubulin within otherwise normally beating cells, we found that the increased tubulin (and MT) levels further depressed the beating rate. In conclusion, the stabilized MT subset is sufficient to maintain the normal beating rate in these cells, whereas increasing the MT density depresses it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas 79430, USA. dan.webster@ttmc.ttuhsc.edu
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Patrick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015739:Nocodazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014404:Tubulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; D014443:Tyrosine; D017239:Paclitaxel; D015739:Nocodazole