Skip to main content
Log in

Ultrastructural study of calcium distribution in cardiac muscle cells

  • Published:
Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und Mikroskopische Anatomie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

To investigate calcium distribution in cardiac muscle cells, two methods, one using oxalate and another using lead acetate, were used concomitantly to determine the subcellular localization of calcium. Particular attention was paid to the specificity of the methods employed. Chemical and physical analyses of the electron-opaque deposits of the reaction end-products was performed by chelation with EGTA or X-ray and electron diffraction. Results obtained show that the distribution of the calcium deposits in the cardiac muscle cells is more complex than that described for striated muscle fibers. The implications of these findings are discussed and an original viewpoint on the calcium distribution and movement in cardiac muscle cells is presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Azzi, A., Chance, B.: Localization of primary steps in ion movements in membranes. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 147, 812–815 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Barr, L.: Electrical transmission between the cells of vertebrate cardiac muscle. In: Comparative physiology of the heart: current trends. (F. V. McCann ed.), pp. 102–110. Basel: Birkhäuser 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baskin, R. J., Deamer, D. W.: Comparative ultrastructure and calcium transport in heart and skeletal muscle microsomes. J. Cell Biol. 43, 610–617 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bianchi, C. P.: Cell calcium. London: Butterworths 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowmann, R. W.: Mitochondrial connections in canine myocardium. Tex. Rep. Biol. Med. 25, 517–524 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Carasso, N., Favard, P.: Mise en évidence du calcium dans les myonèmes pédonculaires de ciliés péritriches. J. Microscopie 5, 759–770 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Catalina, F., Cifuentes, L.: Calcium oxalate: crystallographic analysis in solid aggregates in urinary sediments. Science 169, 183–184 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chimoskey, J. E., Gergely, J.: Effect of ions on sarcoplasmic reticulum fragments. Arch. Biochem 128, 601–605 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Constantin, L. L., Franzini-Armstrong, C., Podolsky, R. J.: Localization of calcium-accumulating structures in striated muscle fibres. Science 147, 158–159 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Diculescu, I., Ionescu, N., Popescu, L. M.: In press.

  • Fanburg, B., Finkel, R. M., Martonosi, A.: The role of calcium in the mechanism of relaxation of cardiac muscle. J. biol. Chem 239, 2298–2306 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fawcett, D. W.: The sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal and cardiac muscle. Circulation 24, 336–348 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, McNutt, M. S.: The ultrastructure of the cat myocardium. I. Ventricular papillary muscle. J. Cell Biol. 42, 1–45 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Forssmann, W. G., Girardier, L.: Untersuchungen zur Ultrastruktur des Rattenherzmuskels mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des sarcoplasmatischen Retikulums. Z. Zellforsch. 72, 249–275 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, G. B.: Calcium and the initiation of contraction. Circulat. Res. 14, Suppl. II (1964).

  • Grossman, A., Furchgott, R. F.: The effects of external calcium concentration on the distribution and exchange of calcium in resting and beating guinea pig auricles. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 143, 107–114 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasselbach, W.: Relaxation and the sarcotubular calcium pump. Fed. Proc. 23, 909–912 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Heuman, H. G.: Calciumakkumulierende Strukturen in einem glatten Wirbellosenmuskel. Protoplasma (Wien) 67, 111–115 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Langer, G. A.: Ion fluxes in cardiac excitaion and contraction and their relation to myocardial contractility. Phys. Rev. 48, 708–757 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Legato, M. J., Langer, G. A.: The subcellular localization of calcium ion in mammalian myocardium. J. Cell Biol. 41, 401–423 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Luft, J.: Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 9, 409–414 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayler, W. G.: Effect of caffeine on cardiac contractile activity and radiocalcium movement. Amer. J. Physiol. 204, 969–974 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • —: Calcium and other divalent ions in contraction of cardiac muscle. In: Muscle (W. M. Paul, E. E. Daniel, C. M. Kay and G. Monckton eds.), p. 184. London: Pergamon Press, Discussion 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • —: Calcium exchange in cardiac muscle: a basic mechanism of drug action. Amer. Heart J. 73, 379–394 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Chipperfield, D.: Effect of skeletal muscle potentiators on Ca++ in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. Amer. J. Physiol. 217, 609–614 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Emery, P. E.: Nicotine reduced contractures in depolarized cardiac muscle. Arch. int. Pharmacodyn. 153, 283–288 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, D. A., Benson, E. S.: On the structural continuities of the transverse tubular system of rabbit and human myocardial cells. J. Cell Biol. 16, 297–313 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Niedergerke, R.: The rate of action of calcium ions on the contraction of the heart. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 138, 506–515 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  • Page, S.: Structure of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in vertebrate muscle. Brit. med. Bull. 24, 170–173 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pease, A. C., Jenden, D. J., Howell, J. N.: Calcium uptake in glycerol-extracted rabbit psoas muscle fibres. II. Electron microscopic localization of uptake sites. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 65, 141–145 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabinovitz, M., Nair, K. G., Zak, R.: Cellular and subcellular basis of cardiac hypertrophy. Med. Clin. N. Amer. 54, 211–220 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynafarje, B., Lehninger, A. L.: High affinity and low affinity binding of Ca++ by rat liver mitochondria. J. biol. Chem. 244, 584–593 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, E. S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 17, 208–213 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Scarpa, A., Azzone, G. F.: Ion transport in liver mitochondria. VI. The role of surface binding on aerobic Ca++ translocation. J. biol. Chem. 243, 5132–5138 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sillen, L., Martell, A.: Stability constants of metal-ion complexes, Special Publ. 17, London: Chemical Society 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, F. O., Oertelis, S. J.: The fine structure of sheep myocardial cells; sarcolemmal invaginations and the transverse tubular system. J. Cell Biol. 12, 91–100 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. S.: Skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. In: Electron microscopic anatomy (S. Kurtz, ed.), pp. 267–294. New York: Academic Press 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sperelakis, N.: Lack of electrical coupling between contiguous myocardial cells in vertebrate hearts. In: Comparative physiology of the heart: current trends (F. V. McCann, ed.), pp. 135–165. Basel: Birkhäuser 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tobian, L., Duke, M.: Increased calcium and water concentrations in the left ventricle of hypertensive rats. Amer. J. Physiol. 217, 522–524 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, A., Herz, R., Reiss, J.: The nature of the cardiac relaxing factor. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 131, 188–194 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Winegrad, S.: Autographic studies of intracellular calcium in frog skeletal muscle. J. gen. Physiol. 48, 455–479 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Shanes, A. M.: Calcium flux and contractility in guinea pig atria. J. gen. Physiol. 45, 371–394 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Diculescu, I., Popescu, L.M., Ionescu, N. et al. Ultrastructural study of calcium distribution in cardiac muscle cells. Z. Zellforsch. 121, 181–198 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340671

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340671

Key-Words

Navigation