CHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE RABBIT HEART DURING HYPERTROPHY

Abstract

When aortic insufficiency is produced in the rabbit heart by rupturing an aortic valve leaflet, rapid changes occur in the chemical composition of the myocardium. During the first 3 days there is a transient increase of the extracellular phase of considerable magnitude. The intracellular phase appears to increase at a more or less constant rate for several wks., after which further increases cannot be clearly distinguished. The hypertrophied hearts at intermediate periods are characterized by a proportion of intracellular phase somewhat greater than normal but of approximately normal composition except for an increased intracellular water content. At later periods a tendency for a loss of intracellular constituents is observed.