The Fine Structure and Electrophysiology of Heart Muscle Cell Injury

Injured frog heart cells electrically uncouple from their uninjured neighbors within 30 min after injury. This uncoupling process can be shown by the disappearance of an injury potential measured between such injured and uninjured cells. In the present study, the time course of the decline of injury...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of cell biology 1970-09, Vol.46 (3), p.455-476
Main Author: Baldwin, Kate M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Action Potentials
Aldehydes
Animals
Anura
Basement Membrane
Cell Membrane
Cell membranes
Cells
Collagen - analysis
Connective Tissue - analysis
Connective Tissue - pathology
Connective Tissue Cells
Electric Conductivity
Electrophysiology
Endoplasmic Reticulum
Gastric parietal cells
Heart - physiopathology
Heart Atria - analysis
Heart Atria - cytology
Heart Atria - pathology
Heart Conduction System - pathology
Histocytochemistry
Intercellular Junctions
Liver cells
Membrane Potentials
Microscopy, Electron
Myocardium
Myocardium - cytology
Myocardium - pathology
Myofibrils
Neurons
Osmium
P branes
Ruthenium
Space life sciences
Tight junctions
Time Factors
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Summary:Injured frog heart cells electrically uncouple from their uninjured neighbors within 30 min after injury. This uncoupling process can be shown by the disappearance of an injury potential measured between such injured and uninjured cells. In the present study, the time course of the decline of injury potentials, and thus of electrical uncoupling, in bull-frog atrial trabeculae was determined. Tissue was fixed with glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide at various times after injury to determine the morphological changes which accompany this uncoupling process. In some cases, ruthenium red was included in the fixatives. Normal atrial cells are long and narrow, with intercellular junctions located along the lateral surfaces of the cells. Two types of intercellular junctions have been observed: cardiac adhesion plaques (CAPs), and close junctions. Close junctions occur only infrequently. Ruthenium red penetrates all around the cells, leaving only small areas within the CAPs unstained. After injury, the cells are very dense and the myofilaments disarranged. Both types of intercellular junction remain intact, and only slight changes within CAPs are observed. The results are discussed in relation to current concepts of intercellular communication.
ISSN:0021-9525
1540-8140
DOI:10.1083/jcb.46.3.455