Passive stiffness of rat cardiac myocytes

Intact single cells were isolated from adult rat hearts by enzymatic digestion and suspended in 0.25 mM Ca++ Tyrode's solution. Quiescent, clearly striated rodlike cells were selected for study of the elastic properties of the cells at various stages of membrane and myofilament extraction. Selected cells were placed in a relaxing solution (pCa + 9, 10 mn EGTA) and then each end gently pulled into the tip of a closely fitting suction micropipette for attachment to a force transducer and length perturbation driver. This procedure was performed in low Ca++ to prevent Ca++ loading of the cell during attachment and at room temperature to prevent chemical skinning of the cell. Stiffness was measured by applying a 5-Hz sinusoidal length perturbation (5 percent L0) to one end of the cell while measuring the induced tension change at the other. The ratio of sinusoidal tension change to applied length change (stiffness) was determined for each cell over a length range of about 1-1.3 L0 before removal of the contractile filaments and up to 3.0 L0 after treatment with 0.6 M KI. The stiffness-length relation was measured first in relaxing solution and then in 0.25 mM Ca++ Tyrode's. If spontaneous contractions or contracture occurred the cell was rejected. If the cell remained quiescent and relaxed it was treated again with relaxing solution and 1 percent Triton X-100 to remove the membranes. The stiffness-length relation was again measured and then the cell was superfused with 0.47 M KCl/10 mM pyrophosphate solution to remove the myosin filaments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)