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. 1972 Feb;69(2):308–312. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.2.308

The Sensitivity of Developing Cardiac Myofibrils to Cytochalasin-B

Francis J Manasek *, Beth Burnside †,‡, John Stroman *
PMCID: PMC426446  PMID: 4501115

Abstract

Developing cardiac muscle cells of 11- to 13-somite chick embryos are sensitive to cytochalasin-B. In cultured chick embryos, ranging in development from 11 to 13 somites, hearts stop beating in the presence of this agent. Both polarized light and electron microscopic examination show that cytochalasin-B disrupts existing myofibrils and inhibits the formation of new ones. Discrete Z-bands are not present in treated heart cells and thick, presumably myosin, filaments are found in disarray. These effects are reversible; after cytochalasin-B is removed from the medium, heartbeat recovers and myofibrils with discrete Z-bands reappear. Fibrillar sensitivity appears to be a function of age since fibrils in hearts of embryos having from 22 to 28 pairs of somites are more resistant.

Keywords: electron microscopy, polarized light, Z-bands, heartbeat

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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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