Physical, contractile and calcium handling properties of neonatal cardiac myocytes cultured on different matrices

Highly Efficient Cardiac Differentiation and Maintenance by Thrombin-Coagulated Fibrin Hydrogels Enriched with Decellularized Porcine Heart Extracellular Matrix

Biochemical and biophysical properties instruct cardiac tissue morphogenesis. Here, we are reporting on a blend of cardiac decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) from porcine ventricular tissue and fibrinogen that is suitable for investigations employing an in vitro 3D cardiac cell culture model. Rapid and specific coagulation with thrombin facilitates the gentle inclusion of cells while avoiding sedimentation during formation of the dECM-fibrin composite. Our investigations revealed enhanced cardiogenic differentiation in the H9c2 myoblast cells when using the system in a co-culture with Nor-10 fibroblasts. Further enhancement of differentiation efficiency was achieved by 3D embedding of rat neonatal cardiomyocytes in the 3D system. Calcium imaging and analysis of beating motion both indicate that the dECM-fibrin composite significantly enhances recovery, frequency, synchrony, and the maintenance of spontaneous beating, as compared to various controls including Matrigel, pure fibrin and collagen I as well as a fibrin-collagen I blend.

Stem Cell Differentiation into Cardiomyocytes: Current Methods and Emerging Approaches

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are globally known to be important causes of mortality and disabilities. Common treatment strategies for CVDs, such as pharmacological therapeutics impose serious challenges due to the failure of treatments for myocardial necrosis. By contrast, stem cells (SCs) based therapies are seen to be promising approaches to CVDs treatment. In such approaches, cardiomyocytes are differentiated from SCs. To fulfill SCs complete potential, the method should be appointed to generate cardiomyocytes with more mature structure and well-functioning operations. For heart repairing applications, a greatly scalable and medical-grade cardiomyocyte generation must be used. Nonetheless, there are some challenges such as immune rejection, arrhythmogenesis, tumorigenesis, and graft cell death potential. Herein, we discuss the types of potential SCs, and commonly used methods including embryoid bodies related techniques, co-culture, mechanical stimulation, and electrical stimulation and their applications, advantages and limitations in this field. An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32 % of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85 % were due to heart attack and stroke.

Extracellular Matrix in Regulation of Contractile System in Cardiomyocytes

The contractile apparatus of cardiomyocytes is considered to be a stable system. However, it undergoes strong rearrangements during heart development as cells progress from their non-muscle precursors. Long-term culturing of mature cardiomyocytes is also accompanied by the reorganization of their contractile apparatus with the conversion of typical myofibrils into structures of non-muscle type. Processes of heart development as well as cell adaptation to culture conditions in cardiomyocytes both involve extracellular matrix changes, which appear to be crucial for the maturation of contractile apparatus. The aim of this review is to analyze the role of extracellular matrix in the regulation of contractile system dynamics in cardiomyocytes. Here, the remodeling of actin contractile structures and the expression of actin isoforms in cardiomyocytes during differentiation and adaptation to the culture system are described along with the extracellular matrix alterations. The data supporting the regulation of actin dynamics by extracellular matrix are highlighted and the possible mechanisms of such regulation are discussed.

Engineering hiPSC cardiomyocyte in vitro model systems for functional and structural assessment

The study of human cardiomyopathies and the development and testing of new therapies has long been limited by the availability of appropriate in vitro model systems. Cardiomyocytes are highly specialized cells whose internal structure and contractile function are sensitive to the local microenvironment and the combination of mechanical and biochemical cues they receive. The complementary technologies of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) and microphysiological systems (MPS) allow for precise control of the genetics and microenvironment of human cells in in vitro contexts. These combined systems also enable quantitative measurement of mechanical function and intracellular organization. This review describes relevant factors in the myocardium microenvironment that affect CM structure and mechanical function and demonstrates the application of several engineered microphysiological systems for studying development, disease, and drug discovery.

Current Trends in Biomaterial Utilization for Cardiopulmonary System Regeneration

The cardiopulmonary system is made up of the heart and the lungs, with the core function of one complementing the other. The unimpeded and optimal cycling of blood between these two systems is pivotal to the overall function of the entire human body. Although the function of the cardiopulmonary system appears uncomplicated, the tissues that make up this system are undoubtedly complex. Hence, damage to this system is undesirable as its capacity to self-regenerate is quite limited. The surge in the incidence and prevalence of cardiopulmonary diseases has reached a critical state for a top-notch response as it currently tops the mortality table. Several therapies currently being utilized can only sustain chronically ailing patients for a short period while they are awaiting a possible transplant, which is also not devoid of complications. Regenerative therapeutic techniques now appear to be a potential approach to solve this conundrum posed by these poorly self-regenerating tissues. Stem cell therapy alone appears not to be sufficient to provide the desired tissue regeneration and hence the drive for biomaterials that can support its transplantation and translation, providing not only physical support to seeded cells but also chemical and physiological cues to the cells to facilitate tissue regeneration. The cardiac and pulmonary systems, although literarily seen as just being functionally and spatially cooperative, as shown by their diverse and dissimilar adult cellular and tissue composition has been proven to share some common embryological codevelopment. However, necessitating their consideration for separate review is the immense adult architectural difference in these systems. This review also looks at details on new biological and synthetic biomaterials, tissue engineering, nanotechnology, and organ decellularization for cardiopulmonary regenerative therapies.

Surface chemical immobilization of bioactive peptides on synthetic polymers for cardiac tissue engineering

The aim of this work was the development of new synthetic polymeric systems, functionalized by surface chemical modification with bioactive peptides, for myocardial tissue engineering. Polycaprolactone and a poly(ester-ether-ester) block copolymer synthesized in our lab, polycaprolactone-poly(ethylene oxide)-polycaprolactone (PCL-PEO-PCL), were used as the substrates to be modified. Two pentapeptides, H-Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-OH (GRGDS) from fibronectin and H-Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg-OH (YIGSR) from laminin, were used for the functionalization. Polymeric membranes were obtained by casting from solutions and then functionalized by means of alkaline hydrolysis and subsequent coupling of the bioactive molecules through 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide chemistry. The hydrolysis conditions, in terms of hydrolysis time, temperature, and sodium hydroxide concentration, were optimized for the two materials. The occurrence of the coupling reaction was demonstrated by infrared spectroscopy, as the presence on the functionalized materials of the absorption peaks typical of the two peptides. The peptide surface density was determined by chromatographic analysis and the distribution was studied by infrared chemical imaging. The results showed a nearly homogeneous peptide distribution, with a density above the minimum value necessary to promote cell adhesion. Preliminary in vitro cell culture studies demonstrated that the introduction of the bioactive molecules had a positive effect on improving C2C12 myoblasts growth on the synthetic materials.

Cardiogel: a nano-matrix scaffold with potential application in cardiac regeneration using mesenchymal stem cells

3-Dimensional conditions for the culture of Bone Marrow-derived Stromal/Stem Cells (BMSCs) can be generated with scaffolds of biological origin. Cardiogel, a cardiac fibroblast-derived Extracellular Matrix (ECM) has been previously shown to promote cardiomyogenic differentiation of BMSCs and provide protection against oxidative stress. To determine the matrix composition and identify significant proteins in cardiogel, we investigated the differences in the composition of this nanomatrix and a BMSC-derived ECM scaffold, termed as ‘mesogel’. An optimized protocol was developed that resulted in efficient decellularization while providing the maximum yield of ECM. The proteins were sequentially solubilized using acetic acid, Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) and Dithiothreitol (DTT). These proteins were then analyzed using surfactant-assisted in-solution digestion followed by nano-liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS). The results of these analyses revealed significant differences in their respective compositions and 17 significant ECM/matricellular proteins were differentially identified between cardiogel and mesogel. We observed that cardiogel also promoted cell proliferation, adhesion and migration while enhancing cardiomyogenic differentiation and angiogenesis. In conclusion, we developed a reproducible method for efficient extraction and solubilization of in vitro cultured cell-derived extracellular matrix. We report several important proteins differentially identified between cardiogel and mesogel, which can explain the biological properties of cardiogel. We also demonstrated the cardiomyogenic differentiation and angiogenic potential of cardiogel even in the absence of any external growth factors. The transplantation of Bone Marrow derived Stromal/Stem Cells (BMSCs) cultured on such a nanomatrix has potential applications in regenerative therapy for Myocardial Infarction (MI).

Natural ECM as biomaterial for scaffold based cardiac regeneration using adult bone marrow derived stem cells

Cellular therapy using stem cells for cardiac diseases has recently gained much interest in the scientific community due to its potential in regenerating damaged and even dead tissue and thereby restoring the organ function. Stem cells from various sources and origin are being currently used for regeneration studies directly or along with differentiation inducing agents. Long term survival and minimal side effects can be attained by using autologous cells and reduced use of inducing agents. Cardiomyogenic differentiation of adult derived stem cells has been previously reported using various inducing agents but the use of a potentially harmful DNA demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (5-azaC) has been found to be critical in almost all studies. Alternate inducing factors and conditions/stimulant like physical condition including electrical stimulation, chemical inducers and biological agents have been attempted by numerous groups to induce cardiac differentiation. Biomaterials were initially used as artificial scaffold in in vitro studies and later as a delivery vehicle. Natural ECM is the ideal biological scaffold since it contains all the components of the tissue from which it was derived except for the living cells. Constructive remodeling can be performed using such natural ECM scaffolds and stem cells since, the cells can be delivered to the site of infraction and once delivered the cells adhere and are not "lost". Due to the niche like conditions of ECM, stem cells tend to differentiate into tissue specific cells and attain several characteristics similar to that of functional cells even in absence of any directed differentiation using external inducers. The development of niche mimicking biomaterials and hybrid biomaterial can further advance directed differentiation without specific induction. The mechanical and electrical integration of these materials to the functional tissue is a problem to be addressed. The search for the perfect extracellular matrix for therapeutic applications including engineering cardiac tissue structures for post ischemic cardiac tissue regeneration continues.

Enhanced cardiomyogenic lineage differentiation of adult bone-marrow-derived stem cells grown on cardiogel

The extracellular matrix (ECM) and its components are known to promote growth and cellular differentiation in vitro. Cardiogel, a three-dimensional extracellular matrix derived from cardiac fibroblasts, is evaluated for its cardiomyogenic-differentiation-inducing potential on bone-marrow-derived stem cells (BMSC). BMSC from adult mice were grown on cardiogel and induced to differentiate into specific lineages that were validated by morphological, phenotypic and molecular assays. The data revealed that the cardiogel enhanced cardiomyogenic and adipogenic differentiation and relegated osteogenic differentiation following specific induction. More importantly, increased cardiomyogenic differentiation was also observed following BMSC growth on cardiogel without specific chemical (5-azacytidine) induction. This is the first report of an attempt to use cardiogel as a biomaterial on which to achieve cardiomyogenic differentiation of BMSC without chemical induction. Our study suggests that cardiogel is an efficient extracellular matrix that enhances the cardiomyogenic differentiation of BMSC and that it can therefore be used as a scaffold for cardiac tissue regeneration.

Fiber alignment and coculture with fibroblasts improves the differentiated phenotype of murine embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for cardiac tissue engineering

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are an important source of cardiomyocytes for regenerating injured myocardium. The successful use of ESC-derived cardiomyocytes in cardiac tissue engineering requires an understanding of the important scaffold properties and culture conditions to promote cell attachment, differentiation, organization, and contractile function. The goal of this work was to investigate how scaffold architecture and coculture with fibroblasts influences the differentiated phenotype of murine ESC-derived cardiomyocytes (mESCDCs). Electrospinning was used to process an elastomeric biodegradable polyurethane (PU) into aligned or unaligned fibrous scaffolds. Bioreactor produced mESCDCs were seeded onto the PU scaffolds either on their own or after pre-seeding the scaffolds with mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Viable mESCDCs attached to the PU scaffolds and were functionally contractile in all conditions tested. Importantly, the aligned scaffolds led to the anisotropic organization of rod-shaped cells, improved sarcomere organization, and increased mESCDC aspect ratio (length-to-diameter ratio) when compared to cells on the unaligned scaffolds. In addition, pre-seeding the scaffolds with MEFs improved mESCDC sarcomere formation compared to mESCDCs cultured alone. These results suggest that both fiber alignment and pre-treatment of scaffolds with fibroblasts improve the differentiation of mESCDCs and are important parameters for developing engineered myocardial tissue constructs using ESC-derived cardiac cells.

Do binucleate cardiomyocytes have a role in myocardial repair? Insights using isolated rodent myocytes and cell culture

Neonatal and adult cardiomyocytes were isolated from rat hearts. Some of the adult myocytes were cultured to allow for cell dedifferentiation, a phenomenon thought to mimic cell changes that occur in stressed myocardium, with myocytes regressing to a fetal pattern of metabolism and stellate neonatal shape.

Using fluorescence deconvolution microscopy, cells were probed with fluorescent markers and scanned for a number of proteins associated with ion control, calcium movements and cardiac function. Image analysis of deconvoluted image stacks and sequential real-time image recordings of calcium transients of cells were made.

All three myocyte groups were predominantly comprised of binucleate cells. Clustering of proteins to a single nucleus was a common observation, suggesting that one nucleus is active in protein synthesis pathways, while the other nucleus assumes a ‘dormant’ or different role and that cardiomyocytes might be mitotically active even in late development, or specific protein syntheses could be targeted and regulated for reintroduction into the cell cycle.

Such possibilities would extend cardiac disease associated stem cell research and therapy options, while producing valuable insights into developmental and death pathways of binucleate cardiomyocytes (word count 183).

An improved protocol for primary culture of cardiomyocyte from neonatal mice

The primary culture of neonatal mice cardiomyocyte model enables researchers to study and understand the morphological, biochemical, and electrophysiological characteristics of the heart, besides being a valuable tool for pharmacological and toxicological studies. Because cardiomyocytes do not proliferate after birth, primary myocardial culture is recalcitrant. The present study describes an improved method for rapid isolation of cardiomyocytes from neonatal mice, as well as the maintenance and propagation of such cultures for the long term. Immunocytochemical and gene expression data also confirmed the presence of several cardiac markers in the beating cells during the long-term culture condition used in this protocol. The whole culture process can be effectively shortened by reducing the enzyme digestion period and the cardiomyocyte enrichment step.

Extracellular matrix, mechanotransduction and structural hierarchies in heart tissue engineering

The spatial and temporal scales of cardiac organogenesis and pathogenesis make engineering of artificial heart tissue a daunting challenge. The temporal scales range from nanosecond conformational changes responsible for ion channel opening to fibrillation which occurs over seconds and can lead to death. Spatial scales range from nanometre pore sizes in membrane channels and gap junctions to the metre length scale of the whole cardiovascular system in a living patient. Synchrony over these scales requires a hierarchy of control mechanisms that are governed by a single common principle: integration of structure and function. To ensure that the function of ion channels and contraction of muscle cells lead to changes in heart chamber volume, an elegant choreography of metabolic, electrical and mechanical events are executed by protein networks composed of extracellular matrix, transmembrane integrin receptors and cytoskeleton which are functionally connected across all size scales. These structural control networks are mechanoresponsive, and they process mechanical and chemical signals in a massively parallel fashion, while also serving as a bidirectional circuit for information flow. This review explores how these hierarchical structural networks regulate the form and function of living cells and tissues, as well as how microfabrication techniques can be used to probe this structural control mechanism that maintains metabolic supply, electrical activation and mechanical pumping of heart muscle. Through this process, we delineate various design principles that may be useful for engineering artificial heart tissue in the future.

Development of Efficient Cardiac Differentiation Method of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

To obtain an enhanced population of cardiomyocytes from differentiating mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, we confirmed the role of noggin treatment during the cardiac differentiation of mouse ES cells. ES cells were cultured in ES medium containing both noggin and LIF for 3 days on the mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layer, followed by dissociated and suspension culture without LIF to form the embryoid body (EB). The next day, noggin was eliminated and EBs were cultured continuously. Noggin treated ES cells showed a relatively rapid increase of cardiac marker genes, while the vehicle (PBS) treated group showed no significant cardiac marker expression at 4 days after the EB formation. Furthermore, Noggin treated ES cells showed 68.00±9.16% spontaneous beating EBs at 12 days after the EB formation. To develop a more efficient cardiomyocyte differentiation method, we tested several known cardiogenic reagents (ascorbic acid, 5’-Azacytidine, LiCl, oxytocin, FGF2 and PDGF-BB) after noggin induction or we cultured noggin treated ES cells on various extracellular matrixes (collagen, fibronectin and Matrigel). Quantitative RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry results showed a significantly increased cardiac differentiation rate in the FGF2 treated group. Differentiation on the collagen extracellular matrix (ECM) could slightly increase the cardiac differentiation efficiency. These results show the possibilities for the establishment of selective differentiation conditions for the cardiac differentiation of mouse ES cells.

Human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes: inducing strategies

Cell-based therapy is emerging as an innovative approach for the treatment of degenerative diseases, and stem cells appear to be an ideal source of cells for this. In cardiology, in particular, human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived cardiomyocytes theoretically fulfill most, if not all, of the properties of an ideal donor cell, but several critical obstacles need to be overcome. Many research projects are focusing on set-up strategies for directing hESC differentiation toward the cardiac lineage. It is one of the main difficulties in the search to provide a valuable source of cells to effect regeneration of myocardial tissue in patients with severe heart failure. To date, there are no easy and efficient protocols for the induction of hESC differentiation toward the cardiac lineage. Discovering new molecules or tools capable of doing this is imperative.

Mechanisms of intrinsic beating variability in cardiac cell cultures and model pacemaker networks

Heart rate variability (HRV) exhibits fluctuations characterized by a power law behavior of its power spectrum. The interpretation of this nonlinear HRV behavior, resulting from interactions between extracardiac regulatory mechanisms, could be clinically useful. However, the involvement of intrinsic variations of pacemaker rate in HRV has scarcely been investigated. We examined beating variability in spontaneously active incubating cultures of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes using microelectrode arrays. In networks of mathematical model pacemaker cells, we evaluated the variability induced by the stochastic gating of transmembrane currents and of calcium release channels and by the dynamic turnover of ion channels. In the cultures, spontaneous activity originated from a mobile focus. Both the beat-to-beat movement of the focus and beat rate variability exhibited a power law behavior. In the model networks, stochastic fluctuations in transmembrane currents and stochastic gating of calcium release channels did not reproduce the spatiotemporal patterns observed in vitro. In contrast, long-term correlations produced by the turnover of ion channels induced variability patterns with a power law behavior similar to those observed experimentally. Therefore, phenomena leading to long-term correlated variations in pacemaker cellular function may, in conjunction with extracardiac regulatory mechanisms, contribute to the nonlinear characteristics of HRV.

The area composita of adhering junctions connecting heart muscle cells of vertebrates – III: Assembly and disintegration of intercalated disks in rat cardiomyocytes growing in culture

For cell and molecular biological studies of heart formation and function cell cultures of embryonal, neonatal or adult hearts of various vertebrates, notably rat and chicken, have been widely used. As the myocardium-specific cell-cell junctions, the intercalated disks (ID), have recently been found to be particularly sensitive to losses of - or mutations in - certain cytoskeletal proteins, resulting in cardiac damages, we have examined the ID organization in primary cultures of cardiomyocytes obtained from neonatal rats. Using immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy, we have studied the major ID components for up to 2 weeks in culture, paying special attention to spontaneously beating, individual cardiomyocytes and myocardial cell colonies. While our results demonstrate the formation of some ID-like cardiomyocyte-connecting junction arrays, they also reveal a variety of structural disorders such as rather extended, junction-free ID regions, sac-like invaginations and endocytotic blebs as well as accumulations of intracytoplasmic structures suggestive of endocytosed forms of junction-derived vesicles or of junction fragments resembling fascia adhaerens elements. Moreover, we have noticed a novel type of small, obviously plaque-free cytoplasmic vesicles containing one or both of the desmosomal cadherins, desmocollin Dsc2 and desmoglein Dsg2. We conclude that cardiomyocyte cultures are useful model systems for studies of certain aspects of myocardiac differentiation and functions but, on the other hand, show progressive disintegration and deterioration. The potential value of molecular markers and reagents in studies of myocardial pathology as well as in the monitoring of myocardial differentiation of so-called stem cells is discussed.

The expression and role of protein kinase C in neonatal cardiac myocyte attachment, cell volume, and myofibril formation is dependent on the composition of the extracellular matrix

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic component of tissues that influences cellular phenotype and behavior. We sought to determine the role of specific ECM substrates in the regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) isozyme expression and function in cardiac myocyte attachment, cell volume, and myofibril formation. PKC isozyme expression was ECM substrate specific. Increasing concentrations of the PKC delta inhibitor rottlerin attenuated myocyte attachment to randomly organized collagen (1, 5, and 10 microM), laminin (5 and 10 microM), aligned collagen (5 and 10 microM), and fibronectin (10 microM). Rottlerin significantly decreased cell volume on laminin and randomly organized collagen, and inhibited myofibril formation on laminin. The PKC alpha inhibitor Gö 6976 inhibited attachment to randomly organized collagen at 6 nM but did not affect cell volume. The general PKC inhibitor Bisindolylmalemide I (10 and 30 microM) did not affect myocyte attachment; however, it significantly decreased cell volume on randomly organized collagen. Our data indicate that PKC isozymes are expressed and utilized by neonatal cardiac myocytes during attachment, cell growth, and myofibril formation. Specifically, it appears that PKC delta and/or its downstream effectors play an important role in the interaction between cardiac myocytes and laminin, providing further evidence that the ECM influences cardiac myocyte behavior.

Effects of Chan Su, a traditional Chinese medicine, on the calcium transients of isolated cardiomyocytes: cardiotoxicity due to more than Na, K-ATPase blocking

Extracts of Chan Su, a traditional Chinese medication used as a topical anesthetic and cardiac medication, were incubated with cardiomyocytes that had been loaded with a calcium specific fluorescent probe. Calcium transients were measured by real-time fluorescence spectrophotometry following treatment. The transients were rapidly abolished following addition of a moderate concentration of the extract (400 ng/ml), resulting in high levels of intracellular calcium, while the lower amount (40 ng/ml) blocked the sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase. Treatments with ouabain and nifedipine were also made, either prior to, or after the addition of the Chan Su, in an attempt to better delineate the site(s) of action. The moderate concentration of Chan Su (400 ng/ml) extract caused the myocytes to cease beating within seconds of addition, even in experiments when saturating concentrations of nifedipine or ouabain had been previously added to the cells. As expected bufalin, the active component of Chan Su has similar effects. Our findings indicate that this compound is extremely cardiotoxic, even in small dose and acts rapidly to alter intracellular calcium stores in cardiomyocytes and possibly acts at sites other than the Na(+)+K(+) ATPase, either directly, or indirectly via changes in calcium concentrations.

Cytokines increase neonatal cardiac myocyte calcium concentrations: the involvement of nitric oxide and cyclic nucleotides

Neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were treated with cytokines, with or without the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors N-monomethyl-L-arginine (LNMMA) and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (LNAME), and systolic and diastolic calcium levels were measured by fluorescence spectrophotometry and confocal microscopy. Time-dependent changes following interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment revealed a continuing increase in intracellular calcium, which was reduced with LNMMA, but not with LNAME. Increases in calcium also occurred with interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), but not to the extent seen with IFN-gamma. Increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was involved in the results described with short-term (2 hr) TNF-alpha and long-term (18 hr) IFN-gamma treatments. Short-term exposure to IFN-gamma produced an increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and also an initial increase in the myocyte-bearing rate, with calcium levels either (i) subsequently returning to control levels while maintaining a fast beating rate or (ii), retaining a high systolic calcium level, but beating at control rates. Treatment with both IL-1beta and IFN-gamma stabilized the beating rate of the cells on some occasions. Shortening of myocytes increased with isoproterenol and following treatment with IFN-gamma, while isoproterenol stimulation of IFN-gamma-treated cells revealed increased contractile activity after short, but not long, treatment. LNMMA, but not reduced the increased contractile response with short-term IFN-gamma treatment. Our findings suggest that TNF-alpha acts via a cGMP-dependent pathway, whereas the actions of IFN-gamma involve adenylate cyclase, and possibly a NO-forming mechanism and cGMP pathway as well. It is also apparent that the two NO inhibitors function via different mechanisms or that LNMMA has a direct effect on the calcium-signaling pathway.