[Quantitative morphologic studies on the myocardium in early stages of ontogenesis and after application of various...

The authors have morphometrically studied the differentiation of the myocardium in dynamic phases of the embryonic and postnatal development in chickens and Syrian Hamsters. Moreover, they investigated the action of the beta-adrenalytic substances Practolol and Trimepranol on ultrastructure of the cardiac muscle in adult animals. The volume of mitochondria in myocardial cells in 6-day old chicken embryos amounts to 5.65% of the total cell volume, in 12-day old embryos 14.35%, in 18-day old embryos 19.60%, in 1-day old chickens 23.24% which is nearly as much as in adult animals. The volume of myofibrils in 6-day old embryos is about 3.2%, in 12-day old embryos about 7.4%, in 18-day old embryos about 16.4% and in 1-day old chickens about 21.2%. The differences between individual groups are statistically significant. The dynamics of differentiation of the myocardium in Syrian Hamsters was studied in 5 phases, namely in 14-day old embryos and in postnatal phases on the 2nd, 5th, 14th and 21st days after birth. Most cells in 14-day old embryos are rather immature. Participation of the volume of mitochondria, myofibrils, equipment of mitochondria with cristae etc. considerably increase in postnatal phases. These findings suggest that the heart of mammals is rather immature at birth and will differentiate mainly in the postnatal developmental phases. Many morphometric findings, as regards the action of beta-adrenalytic drugs on the ultrastructure of the myocardium in adult rabbits, point to the fact that application of these substances will give rise to degenerative alterations in approximately 10% of myocardial cells. Theoretical explantation of these mechanisms is being discussed.