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. 1976 Dec;263(2):171–197. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1976.sp011627

Influence of the sodium pump on intercellular communication in heart fibres: effect of intracellular injection of sodium ion on electrical coupling.

W C De Mello
PMCID: PMC1307696  PMID: 1018231

Abstract

1. The effect of intracellular sodium injection on the electrical coupling between cardiac Purkinje cells was investigated. 2. It was found that an increase in the intracellular sodium concentration produces uncoupling in about 500 sec and increases the input resistance of the injected cell. Both effects were completely reversible. 3. Inhibition of the sodium pump by ouabain (6-8 x 10(7) M) also causes electrical uncoupling. 4. The decoupling of heart cells achieved by sodium injection was considerably accelerated in fibres treated with ouabain. 5. The influence of sodium injection on cell communication seems to be related to the intracellular calcium concentration 6. The above results indicate that the maintenance of a low intracellular sodium concentration by the sodium pump is essential for the preservation of a high junctional conductance in cardiac fibres.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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