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Morphological changes accompanying physiological changes in atrial stretch receptors

Morphologische Änderungen als Begleiterscheinung veränderter Funktion bei Vorhofdehnungsrezeptoren

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Summary

A shunt connecting the descending aorta and posterior vena cava was established surgically in six mongrel dogs. All animals subsequently developed hemodynamic and clinical signs of congestive heart failure at which time the shunt was closed. Six to seven weeks after ligation of the shunt, activity of the left atrial stretch receptors was recorded and found to be similar to that of sham-operated dogs. Methylene blue-stained sections of left atrial endocardium indicated that approximately one-third of the receptors were normal in histological appearance. The remaining two-thirds were fragmented and degenerate. Evidence is presented which indicates that structural changes in these receptors parallel their changes in physiological activity.

Zusammenfassung

Bei 6 Bastardhunden wurde ein Kurzschluß zwischen Aorta descendens und Vena cava hergestellt. Alle Tiere entwickelten in der Folgezeit hämodynamische und klinische Zeichen einer Stauungsinsuffizienz. Danach wurde der Shunt geschlossen. 6–7 Wochen nach diesem Zeitpunkt war die Aktivität der Dehnungsrezeptoren im linken Vorhof ähnlich wie bei scheinoperierten Tieren. Schnitte des linken Vorhofendokards zeigten bei etwa einem Drittel der Rezeptoren keine Abweichungen von der Norm. Die übrigen zwei Drittel waren fragmentiert und degeneriert. Es wird gezeigt, daß die strukturellen Änderungen dieser Rezeptoren den Änderungen der physiologischen Aktivität parallel gehen.

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Author notes

  1. A. M. Earle

    Present address: Departments of Anatomy, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, 42nd and Dewey Avenue, 68 105, Omaha, Nebraska

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Anatomy, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, 42nd and Dewey Avenue, 68 105, Omaha, Nebraska

    I. H. Zucker, A. C. Earle & J. P. Gilmore

Authors
  1. A. M. Earle
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  2. I. H. Zucker
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  3. A. C. Earle
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  4. J. P. Gilmore
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Additional information

With 6 figures

Supported by an American Heart Association Grant-in-Aid #74-704 and National Institutes of Health Grant No. HL 13 427.

Recipient of an Established Investigatorship from the American Heart Association.

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Earle, A.M., Zucker, I.H., Earle, A.C. et al. Morphological changes accompanying physiological changes in atrial stretch receptors. Basic Res Cardiol 75, 510–514 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01907832

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01907832

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