Effects of temperature change and adrenaline on sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodal potentials

Abstract

Transmembrane potentials were recorded in the sinoatrial (SA) and atrioventricular (AV) nodal areas of the spontaneously beating rabbit right atrium. In addition to the voltage-time record the first time derivative of the action potential was displayed as a function of voltage. A number of parameters of the AV action potential have been calculated from the resulting phase-plane trajectory. Effects of temperature reduction and catecholamine treatment are reported.