The Sensitivity of Developing Cardiac Myofibrils to Cytochalasin-B (Electron Microscopy/Polarized Llght/Z-Bands/Heartbeat) FRANCIS J
Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 69, No. 2, pp. 308-312, February 1972 The Sensitivity of Developing Cardiac Myofibrils to Cytochalasin-B (electron microscopy/polarized llght/Z-bands/heartbeat) FRANCIS J. MANASEt,* BETH BURNSIDEt't, AND JOHN STROMAN* * Departments of Anatomy and Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Department of Cardiology and Pathology, The Children's Hospital Medical Center, Boston, Mass. 02115; and t Department of Anatomy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. 02115 Communicated by Keith R. Porter, November 12, 1971 ABSTRACT Developing cardiac muscle cells of 11- to (about 30-40 hr of incubation) were selected. The splanchno- 13-somite chick embryos are sensitive to cytochalasin-B. the In cultured chick embryos, ranging in development from pleure of the developing yolk sac was removed, exposing 11 to 13 somites, hearts stop beating in the presence of this heart. If care is taken to prevent damage to the anterior in- agent. Both polarized light and electron microscopic testinal portal, this surgical procedure does not interfere with examination show that cytochalasin-B disrupts existing normal development during the time periods used in this myofibrils and inhibits the formation of new ones. Dis- study. In experimental series, the culture medium was re- crete Z-bands are not present in treated heart cells and thick, presumably myosin, filaments are found in dis- placed with either 0.1 mM (50 ug/ml) or 20 ,gM (10 jsg/ml) array. These effects are reversible; after cytochalasin-B is cytochalasin-B in Tyrodes solution plus 1% dimethyl sulf- removed from the medium, heartbeat recovers and myo- oxide (Me2SO) for specified incubation times.
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