A Muscle Column Preparation from the Rat's Left Ventricle

Abstract

A muscle preparation from the left ventricle of the rat heart suitable for in vitro studies is described. It consists of one of the trabeculae carneae of the posterior ventricular wall extending from the apex of the ventricle to the auriculoventricular junction. Studies on the excitability, extensibility, tension development, and oxygen consumption of the preparation are reported. The preparation offers economic and technical advantages over other types of isolated heart muscle preparations currently in use.