Intercellular diffusion of Lucifer yellow CH in mammalian cardiac fibers

The longitudinal movement of Lucifer Yellow CH (mol. wt. 443) along dog trabeculae was studied with the cut-end method. The results indicated that the permeability of the surface membrane to the dye is negligible. The longitudinal redistribution of Lucifer Yellow occurred over 3.5 mm (about 29 cells). The average effective diffusiveness (D) was found to be 1.4 +/- 0.17 X 10(-6) cm2/s (n = 15). From non-steady state diffusion measurements (diffusion time--90 min) the permeability of the nexus to Lucifer Yellow CH turned out to be 7 X 10(-4) cm/s. The results support the view that the cardiac cells are connected through high permeable hydrophilic channels.