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Intracytoplasmic junctions in cardiac muscle cells
The American Journal of Pathology
|March 1, 1974
Summary
Intracytoplasmic junctions, resembling intercalated discs, form in cardiac muscle cells when cell-to-cell contact is lost. These structures appear in various cardiac conditions and in dogs after cardiac arrest, suggesting surface remodeling.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Cellular Ultrastructure
- Pathology
Background:
- Cardiac muscle cells normally form specialized junctions like intercalated discs for coordinated contraction.
- Disruptions in cell-cell contact can occur in various pathological conditions affecting the heart.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation and characteristics of intracytoplasmic junctions in cardiac muscle cells under specific pathological conditions.
- To elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the formation of these unusual junctional structures.
Main Methods:
- Electron microscopy was used to examine ventricular myocardium from patients and dogs.
- Ultrastructural analysis focused on identifying and characterizing intracytoplasmic junctional structures.
Main Results:
- Intracytoplasmic junctions, resembling desmosomes and intercalated discs, were observed in cardiac muscle cells.
- These structures were found in patients with neoplasms, valvular disease, and hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, as well as in dogs post-cardiac arrest.
- Formation was associated with degenerated cells, fibrosis, edema, and loss of intercellular contact.
Conclusions:
- Intracytoplasmic junctions likely form through the remodeling of cell surfaces after loss of intercellular contact.
- This phenomenon provides insight into cellular adaptation and structural changes in diseased or stressed cardiac tissue.