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Paradoxical Influence of Calcium Ions on the Permeability of the Cell Membranes of the Isolated Rat Heart

Nature volume 211, pages 646–647 (1966)Cite this article

Abstract

IN the course of an investigation of the specificity of acetoacetate which causes electromechanical dissociation1 we found that pyruvate also inhibited contractility of the rat heart and dog heart, leaving electrical activity intact2. Later we found that perfusion of the heart with sodium citrate caused essentially the same phenomenon. Although the inhibition of cardiac contraction by potassium citrate has already been demonstrated by Melrose et al.3, it is essential to use sodium citrate in order to demonstrate electromechanical dissociation, as high potassium-levels per se inhibit electrical activity.

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References

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Author notes

  1. W. C. HÜLSMANN

    Present address: Department of Clinical Endocrinology and Diseases of Metabolism, University Hospital, Leyden

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology and Clinical Physiology, Wilhelmina Gasthuis, University of Amsterdam,

    A. N. E. ZIMMERMAN

  2. Department of Medical Enzymology, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Jan Swammerdam Institute, Amsterdam

    W. C. HÜLSMANN

Authors
  1. A. N. E. ZIMMERMAN
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  2. W. C. HÜLSMANN
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ZIMMERMAN, A., HÜLSMANN, W. Paradoxical Influence of Calcium Ions on the Permeability of the Cell Membranes of the Isolated Rat Heart. Nature 211, 646–647 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/211646a0

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