Anaerobic functional activity of isolated rabbit atria

¹ Department of Pharmacology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California

Rabbit atria were subjected to prolonged periods of anoxia. Electrical and mechanical activities were measured under different conditions. It was found that rabbit atria, under anoxia, can maintain long periods of reduced activity in the presence of glucose. Sucrose, fructose, or galactose cannot replace glucose in maintaining the reduced activities of atria under anoxia. Glycolytic inhibitors, such as 2-deoxyglucose and iodoacetate, effectively inhibit this reduced atrial activity under anoxia. Energy formed during the glycolytic breakdown of glucose, therefore, can be used to maintain reduced activity of the rabbit atria.

Key Words: anoxia • 2-deoxyglucose • fructose • galactose • glucose • glycolysis • iodoacetate • sucrose

Submitted on March 18, 1963