Abstract
The effects of exogenous $Ca^{2+}$ stimulation on the post-ischemic myocardial cells were studied using isolated Langendorff-perfused guinea pig hearts. At the starting point of reperfusion, Tyrode solutions, each containing 2.0mM, 4.0mM and 8.0mM $CaCl_2$ respectively, were administered for 2 minutes apart by descending, ascending, or by combined sequences followed by standard Tyrode solution containing 1.0mM $CaCl_2$. The minutes of global ischemia produced reversible but moderate to severe degree of myocardial ultrastructrual changes including focal destruction of sarcolemma, loss of nuclear matrix, clumping and margination of chromatins, mitochondrial swelling, destruction of mitochondrial cristae, shortening of sarcomeres, focal loss of myofibrils, and separation of cell junctions. In spite of reperfusion, the ultrastructure was more severely damaged and irreversible changes such as intracellular fluid accumulation, contracted sarcomeres, mitochondrial destruction, disruption of sarcolemma, loss of nuclear matrix, and separation of cell junction were observed in a large number of cells. In contrast, Tyrode-perfused $Ca^{2+}$-stimulated myocardial cells showed relatively well preserved ultrastucture, except slight changes including focal mitochondrial swelling, widening of T-tubule, and widening of cell junctions, especially at fasciae adherentes. The post-ischemic $Ca^{2+}$-stimulated reperfused myocardial cells produced focal changes such as mitochondrial destruction, disintegration of sarcolemma, widening of T-tubule, and intracellular fluid accumulation with slight variation in degree of changes by the method of $Ca^{2+}$ administration sequence. However, in a large number of the myocardial cells, chromatins were redistributed relatively evenly in the nuclear matrix, mitochondrial cristae were tightly packed, and a considerable number of intramitochondrial granules and glycogen granules reap-pealed. These results indicate that exogenous $Ca^{2+}$ stimulation in the initial period of reperfusion may be beneficial to salvage or to reduce the post-ischemic myocardium from further deleterious changes, and that the beneficial effects may be derived from the reserves of the function of the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ regulating organelles and/or from the responsiveness of contractile apparatus to $Ca^{2+}$ stimulation.