Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Contractility Measurements on Isolated Papillary Muscles for the Investigation of Cardiac Inotropy in Mice
Published on: September 17, 2015
[Mechanism of postextrasystolic potentiation of the myocardium]
Abstract:
Combined effects of poststimulation and postextrasystolic potentiation (PESP) were studied in the rat papillary muscles. The constant PESP augmentation of isometric force triggered by extrasystolic stimulus was shown for 2-8 poststimulatory potentiated contractions. The PESP was not dependent upon the Ca2+ concentration within the 0.5-1.2 mM range. The findings corroborate the postulate that the PESP in cardiomyocytes is associated with special Ca2+ store which is triggered by two APs: regular and extrasystolic ones.
Related Concept Videos
Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles
When an action potential...
Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open.
Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles
Cardiac muscle cells are smaller than skeletal muscles, averaging 10–20 mm in diameter and 50–100 mm in length. However, they have large energy demands for continuous contraction and relaxation. This energy is almost exclusively derived from aerobic metabolism of energy reserves in...
Regulation of Stroke Volume
Preload refers to the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts. It's analogous to the stretching of a rubber band; the more it's stretched, the more forcefully it snaps back. This concept is encapsulated in the Frank-Starling law of the...
Cardiac Action Potential
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials
Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology

