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Pacemaker currents in chick embryonic heart cells change with development

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Abstract

The initial heartbeat of the chick embryo occurs shortly after the first day of incubation1,2. The pacemaker of this beat originates in the region of the primitive heart destined to become sinoatrial tissue in the adult3. Individual cells isolated from the atrial and ventricular portions of the embryonic heart are also capable of beating spontaneously at this stage4,5. However, the intrinsic activity of these cells gradually diminishes from about day 7 until day 21 when the chick hatches5. We have investigated these changes in automaticity by measuring membrane pacemaker currents with the voltage-clamp technique from aggregates of cells prepared from 7-, 12- and 17-day-old chick embryo cardiac ventricle. We report that there is a voltage and time dependent conductance at 7 days which is markedly reduced by 17 days. The reduction of this pacemaker current parallels the decrease of spontaneous activity in these preparations.

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Author notes

  1. Alvin Shrier

    Present address: Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1Y6, Canada

  2. John R. Clay

    Present address: Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322

    Alvin Shrier & John R. Clay

Authors
  1. Alvin Shrier
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  2. John R. Clay
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Shrier, A., Clay, J. Pacemaker currents in chick embryonic heart cells change with development. Nature 283, 670–671 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/283670a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/283670a0

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