Summary
Because the increase in sodium excretion during left atrial distension in conscious dogs is abolished after chronic cardiac denervation, we have investigated whether this is a result of the disappearance of specific atrial granules. Electron microscopy and light-microscopical and ultrastructural immunohistochemistry of canine atria show that atrial granules displaying immunoreactivity for cardiac hormones of the cardiodilatin/atrial natriuretic polypeptide (CDD/ANP) family are still present in denervated left and right atria, although reduced in quantity. It is concluded that the “atrial-induced natriuresis” is not only related to the existence of specific atrial granules. The functional link between atrial-induced natriuresis provoked by atrial distension and the release of atrial polypeptide hormones remains uncertain because the denervated heart can secrete CDD although the diuretic-natriuretic effect is altered.
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Kaczmarczyk, G., Forssmann, WG., Noble, M.I.M. et al. Atrial granules in the dog heart after cardiac denervation. Cell Tissue Res. 249, 701–705 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217342
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217342