Responses to hypertonic solutions in guinea-pig atria: changes in action potentials, force of contraction and calcium content.

In left atria of guinea-pig hearts we studied the effects of Tyrode solution made hypertonic by the addition of mannitol (50 to 300 mosm/l). Electrical and mechanical performance were investigated at 0.1, 1 and 3 Hz. Up to 150 mosm/l a positive inotropic effect was observed, addition of 300 mosm/l caused a positive inotropic response followed by a long lasting negative inotropic effect. The positive inotropic effect depended on the frequency of stimulation: at the low frequency of 0.1 Hz the increase in force of contraction was so large, that in hypertonic solution the absolute value of developed tension at 0.1 Hz was actually larger than at 3 Hz. With 150 mosm/l mannitol the time to peak tension and the twitch duration were prolonged. These effects were also most prominent at 0.1 Hz. The action potential duration was shortened; the membrane hyperpolarized. The observed changes in action potential duration and the membrane hyperpolarization may reflect changes in cation concentration due to cellular dehydration. The propagation velocity of excitation was reduced in the absence of a detectable decrease in maximum rate of depolarization during the upstroke of the action potential. The cells did not behave as perfect osmometers because loss of tissue water as estimated from wet weight and dry weight measurements was smaller than expected for a 1.5-fold increase in tonicity. After having established complete exchange of tissue calcium with 45Ca, hypertonicity-induced changes in the cellular calcium content could be determined by changes in 45Ca content. At both frequencies of stimulation, the cellular calcium content increased to the same extent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)