Comparative morphological and biochemical investigation of healthy human myocardium

In order to study healthy myocardium ultrastructural and biochemical investigations were performed on human heart in biopsies taken from different locations from brain dead organ donors. To study healthy myocardium and to recognize early signs of myocardial impairment, morphological and biochemical investigations were performed on human myocardial tissue in various conditions. The lactate dehydrogenase was investigated cytochemically in different part of the myocardium. The cytochemical reaction did not show difference. Lactate dehydrogenase and its isoenzyme activities were determined in different parts of the normal human myocardium. In conclusion LD isoenzyme dominates in all parts of the normal human myocardium. The activities of total LD, H subunit and LD1 increase from atria and auricular appendages via right ventricle to left ventricle. The activities of both H and M subunit are different in the different parts of the myocardium. Combining the morphologic and enzymatic evaluation of endomyocardial biopsy samples, it is possible to get closer to the understanding of different cardiac diseases and to increase the value of diagnostics.