ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Cardiac muscle
;
Sarcoplasmic reticulum
;
Excitation-contraction coupling
;
Electron microscopy
;
Cinematography
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The ascidian myocardium is composed of small striated myoepithelial cells. The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of these cells was reconstructed from serial sections. T-tubules are absent, but subsarcolemmal cisternae of the SR, that may be the counterpart of terminal cisternae, form couplings with the sarcolemma. Longitudinal SR tubules, parallel to the myofilaments, are interconnected near the middle of the A-band and form a transverse collar. Cinematographic photography of spontaneous contractions in fresh myocardial preparations produced records that could be analyzed frame by frame. Contractions are typically limited to parts of the myofilament field of single cells. They are locally symmetrical with respect to Z-bands; either both A-bands on each side of a Z-band converge on it (contractions), or neither A-band moves with respect to the Z-band. It is suggested that the spontaneous contractions are the result of local Ca++ release from randomly distributed subsarcolemmal cisternae. It is proposed that the symmetry of contraction is due to a rapid sequestering of Ca++ by the SR collars at the middle of the A-bands and a possible diffusion barrier at that level.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00307296
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