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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Isolation of Human Atrial Myocytes for Simultaneous Measurements of Ca2+ Transients and Membrane Currents
Published on: July 3, 2013
[Acupuncture-serum decreases Ca2+ content in cultured rat myocardial cells]
Ming-fu Luo1, Cui-hong Li, Jin-ling Zhang
1Institute of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China. psy_lmf@yahoo.com.cn
Objective:
To explore whether humoral factors play a role in the mechanisms of acupuncture.
Methods:
Primary culture of myocardial cells of neonatal rats were carried out. Five days later, they were labeled by fluorescent molecular probe Fluo-3AM. Changes of Ca2+ contents in the cultured myocardial cells after addition of the normal rat serum or acupuncture-serum of the rat who received acupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6) and Jianshi (PC 5), were dynamically observed by a confocal laser scanning microscopy.
Results:
After addition of normal serum of the rat, the intracellular Ca2+ level increased to a certain degree, and then gradually tended to stability, which was significantly decreased by addition of the acupuncture-serum (P < 0.01).
Conclusion:
The serum of the rat who received acupuncture at acupoints can decrease the Ca2+ level in cultured myocardial cells, which provides a direct evidence for serum factors involving in acupuncture mechanism.
