Cardiac Muscle

In the ever-expanding field of heart research the needs of established re­ searchers, students and general readers can vary considerably, making it difficult therefore to cater for all types of audience within a single volume. The aim of this book has been to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the structure of the heart, including its cell biology. The ultrastructure of the working myocardium and all portions of the conduction system, together with their development, is covered in detail. Also included are chapters on the morphometry of cardiac muscle, the innervation of the heart, cardiac hyper­ trophy and regeneration, and the development of the coronary circulation. A detailed review of cardiac muscle in cell culture is also provided. It is to be hoped that readers, whatever their background, will find the information contained herein useful for their needs. This work was supported by a grant from the National Heart Foundation of Australia. The authors wish to gratefully acknowledge the following people for their invaluable assistance in preparation of the manuscript: Professor Yasuo Uehara, D'r. Takashi· Fujiwara, Dr. Peter Baluk, Dr. Seiji Matsuda and Bill Kaegi for providing unpublished micrographs; Fabian Bowers, Patricia Murphy and Janet Bennett for typing; and Lucy Popadynec, Nella Puglisi, Maggie Mackie, Mary Delafield and Liana Butera for assistance with references and figure preparation. THE AUTHORS Contents A. General Introduction 1 Morphology of Cardiac Muscle 8 B.

A. General Introduction.- B. Morphology of Cardiac Muscle.- I. Light Microscopy of Cardiac Muscle.- II. Ultrastructure of Cardiac Muscle.- III. Histochemistry.- IV. Extracellular Matrix.- V. Venous Cardiac Muscle.- C. Morphometry of Cardiac Muscle.- I. Methodology.- II. Factors Influencing Morphometric Parameters.- III. Morphometric Parameters in Adult Myocardium.- D. The Conduction System.- I. The Sinoatrial Node.- II. The Atrioventricular Junctional Tissues.- III. The Ventricular Purkinje System.- IV. Histochemistry of Mammalian Conduction Systems.- V. Non-Mammalian Conduction Systems.- E. Innervation of the Heart.- I. Major Nerves Supplying the Heart.- II. Sensory End Formations.- III. Histochemical and Chemical Studies of Efferent Fibres.- IV. Ultrastructure of Neuromuscular Relationships in the Heart.- V. Innervation of Non-Mammalian Cardiac Muscle.- F. Development of Cardiac Muscle.- I. Developmental Stages.- II. Embryonic Heart Formation.- III. Formation of the Four-Chambered Heart.- IV. Development of the Coronary Circulation.- V. Ultrastructure of Developing Cardiac Muscle.- VI. Morphometric Changes During the Growth of Myocytes.- G. Development of the Conduction System.- I. Conduction in Embryonic Heart.- II. Development of the Sinoatrial Node.- III. Development of the AV Node.- IV. The Development of the Ventricular Purkinje System.- H. Cardiac Hypertrophy.- I. General Features.- II. Morphological Changes.- III. Morphometric Changes.- IV. Regional Patterns.- I. Regeneration.- J. Cardiac Muscle Cells in Culture.- I. Introduction.- II. Methods of Culture.- III. Working Myocardium in Culture.- IV. Cellular Interactions.- V. Other Cardiac Muscle.- References.- Author Index.