Effect of taurine on calcium levels and contractility in guinea-pig ventricular strips

Taurine increases the calcium levels in guinea-pig ventricular strips at external calcium concentrations of 0.45, 0.9 and 1.8 mM. At 2.7 mM calcium, however, a decrease is observed. Analogous changes occur in contractile force. It is also seen that the superfusion of ventricular strips with taurine-free medium produces a decrease in taurine content at the end of 120 min superfusion. Taurine levels can be restored by superfusion with 10 mM taurine; a linear relationship exists between external taurine and internal taurine levels.