Different intracellular cation-content present in right and left ventricle dependent on varying extracellular Ca2+-concentrations.

Abstract The different intracellular cation-contents present in the right and left ventricle depend on varying Ca2+-concentrations. The effect of extracellular Ca2+-concentrations varied within the physiological range has been studied on an isolated guinea pig heart preparation, showing excellent stable experimental conditions. By increasing the extracellular Ca2+-concentration from 0.45 m m to 3.6 m m the tissue contents of calcium and potassium were increased dependent on [Ca]e whereas that of Na was reduced. This was due to a change in the composition of the intracellular cations as the extracellular space (inulin) and water-content of the heart muscle tissue were not influenced by incre…