Role of Ica and Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the force-frequency relationship of rat heart muscle

The inward Ca2+ current, ica, increases with the frequency of stimulation in single ventricular myocytes, but the presence and possible role of this phenomenon in intact heart muscle of mammals has not been studied. The present study addresses the question whether changes in ica play a role in the force-frequency relationship in thin ventricular trabeculae from rat heart. The duration of the action potential at 50% repolarization, APD50, is related to the strength and duration of ica (Mitchell et al., 1984b; Schouten, 1986). APD50 increased with the frequency of stimulation. Peak force of contraction, F, was minimal at 0.1-0.3 Hz and increased at both higher and lower frequencies, suggesting two mechanisms with opposite frequency-dependence. The increase at low frequencies was abolished by drugs that inhibit Ca2+ uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (caffeine, theophylline), but not by Ca2+ antagonists that block ica (nifedipine, Mn2+). This is consistent with the hypothesis that a small net influx of Ca2+ across the sarcolemma during long diastoles was responsible for loading of the reticulum and enhancement of F at low frequencies. The increase of F and APD50 at high frequencies was abolished by Ca2+ antagonists but not by caffeine and theophylline. From this result it is concluded, that frequency-induced enhancement of ica occurs in intact heart muscle and contributes to the increase in F.