Early membrane damage during ischemia in rat heart.

Effects of ischemia on cell membrane of rat heart were investigated. The endothelial surface revealed the existence of ruthenium red-positive glycocalyx at the anionic site. Membrane bound enzyme as Na-K ATPase was mostly located in the inner side and pinocytotic vesicles of endothelial cell. The clumping and dispersion in glycocalyx of endothelial cells was observed in an ischemic heart and it may prove the functional disturbance of plasma membrane. A potential and functional defect with reduced activity of Na-K ATPase occurred within 1 hr of vascular ligation. The membrane dysfunction due to these molecular changes has been proved by the membrane permeability alteration as well as the intracytoplasmic localization of horseradish peroxidase as tracer.