Capillary diffusion capacity for Cr-EDTA and cyanocobalamine in spontaneously beating rat hearts

In order to obtain a functional estimate of the diffusional capacity of the myocardial capillary bed, the permeability surface area product (PS) for Cr-EDTA (mol. wt = 341) and cyanocobalamine (vitamin B12, mol. wt = 135) was determined in spontaneously beating Langendorff-perfused rat hearts over a wide range of coronary flow rates (700-3000 ml min-1 100 g-1). PS was determined by a single injection, colorimetric indicator dilution technique, allowing multiple, rapid and accurate determinations to be made in the same heart. During maximal vasodilation with nitroprusside Na PS averaged 535 +/- 33 and 220 +/- 22 ml min-1 100 g-1 for Cr-EDTA and vitamin B12 respectively at the highest flow (2917 +/- 74 ml min-1 100 g-1). The vasculature of the heart was found to be highly heterogeneous, since PS increased with flow and there were marked variations of extraction over transit times. A functional estimate of 'equivalent pore radius' was obtained from the ratio PSCr-EDTA/PSB12, which was 2.61 +/- 0.15 demonstrating a marked restriction to diffusion corresponding to a pore radius of 51 (41-75) A. This value is similar to that from skeletal muscle determined by the same method while PS-values are 40-45 times higher in the heart (Haraldsson & Rippe 1986). Taken together with morphological estimations of capillary surface area and endothelial path depth, these data indicate a 3-fold increase in the density of pores available for diffusion in the myocardium, compared to skeletal muscle.