Mechanisms of automaticity in subsidiary pacemakers from cat right atrium

Intracellular recordings were made from eustachian ridge of cat right atrium to determine mechanisms responsible for subsidiary pacemaker automaticity. Pacemaker action potentials exhibited two phases of diastolic depolarization: an initial steeper slope (D1) followed by a more gradual slope (D2). Cesium (1 mM) decreased D1 (-45.6%) to a significantly greater extent than D2 (-33.6%) and increased spontaneous cycle length (SCL) (+37.7%). Tetrodotoxin (10(-6) M) had no effect on maximum rate of rise of upstroke, although it increased SLC (+23.9%). Verapamil (0.4-1.0 microM) progressively increased SCL by decreasing late diastolic slope, resulting in oscillatory potentials and eventual quiescence. Both norepinephrine (2 x 10(-9) M) and Bay K 8644 (10(-7) M) elicited a significantly greater increase in D2 than in D1, resulting in a decrease in SCL. Ryanodine (10(-6) M) caused a small but significant initial decrease (-3.7%) followed by a progressive increase in SCL (+172%). Ryanodine decreased D2 without changing D1, increased maximum rate of rise and overshoot potential, and abolished tension. In the presence of ryanodine, Bay K 8644 progressively increased D1 amplitude, resulting in a cyclic pattern of dysrhythmic activity. In the presence of ryanodine, cesium significantly decreased D1 (-39.3%), shifted the late diastolic potential more negative, and increased SCL (+25.7%). These results indicated that multiple mechanisms participate in subsidiary pacemaker automaticity. They include 1) a cesium-sensitive component that contributes to a greater extent during the initial phase of diastolic depolarization, 2) a component mediated via calcium released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum that contributes primarily during the latter half of diastolic depolarization, and 3) possibly a direct contribution by the slow inward calcium current.