Characteristics of cardiac action potentials in marsupials

Standard microelectrode techniques were used to record action potentials from single atrial, ventricular and Purkinje fibers of hearts taken from three species of marsupial (Macropus rufus, Macropus robustus and Macropus eugenii) and from dogs, sheep and guinea-pigs. The major electrophysiological parameters of marsupial potentials were qualitatively similar to the values for placental mammals. The grouped data for ventricular action potentials from studies on 6 adult male red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) were (mean +/- SD): Resting potential -69.5 +/- 5.0 mV; action potential amplitude 92.7 +/- 5.7 mV; action potential duration (to 90% repolarization): 182.5 +/- 17.5 ms; maximum rate of depolarization: 196.5 +/- 80.1 V/s. The major point of difference was the short duration of the red kangaroo ventricular action potential compared to those of the placental mammals, and compared to atrial cells from the kangaroos. It is suggested that this explains the short QT interval reported by others for kangaroo electrocardiograms, and that it may also be implicated in the high frequency of sudden death previously noted in these animals.