Ultrastructure of cultured atrial cardiac muscle cells from adult rats

Cardiac myocytes' dynamic contractile behavior differs depending on heart segment

Cardiac myocytes originating from different parts of the heart exhibit varying morphology and ultrastructure. However, the difference in their dynamic behavior is unclear. We examined the contraction of cardiac myocytes originating from the apex, ventricle, and atrium, and found that their dynamic behavior, such as amplitude and frequency of contraction, differs depending on the heart segment of origin. Using video microscopy and high-precision image correlation, we found that: (1) apex myocytes exhibited the highest contraction rate (∼17 beats/min); (2) ventricular myocytes exhibited the highest contraction amplitude (∼5.2 micron); and (3) as myocyte contraction synchronized, their frequency did not change significantly, but the amplitude of contraction increased in apex and ventricular myocytes. In addition, as myocyte cultures mature they formed contractile filaments, further emphasizing the difference in myocyte dynamics is persistent. These results suggest that the dynamic behavior (in addition to static properties) of myocytes is dependent on their segment of origin.

Dynamics of early contact formation in cultured adult rat cardiomyocytes studied by N-cadherin fused to green fluorescent protein

We investigated dynamic events during the formation of intercalated disc-like structures of adult rat cardiomyocytes (ARC) in long-term culture. Given the complexity of ARC cytoIarchitecture after de- and re-differentiation, and the non-uniform morphological development of individual cells, green fluorescent protein (GFP) technology was used to track N-cadherin in living cells. Sorting and functionality of the GFP fusion protein was tested in ARC. Isolated ARC were micro-injected with the expression construct at the onset of spreading in culture, and the fluorescence signals were tracked during contact formation and in fully redifferentiated living cells. The first contact sites were found to be established by cellular protrusions, which were marked by an ultrastructure similar to microspikes and probably have a role as exploratory units in the spreading phase. Subsequently, initial contact sites served as anchorage for the most prominent stress fibre-like structures. The fusion protein appeared before connexin-43 at newly established cell-cell contacts. Membrane invaginations at the sarcolemma facing the substratum of cultured ARC may be responsible for the appearance of a striped pattern of N-cadherin and other adherens junction proteins away from intercalated disc-like structures. The stripes were immobile in redifferentiated cells, while the distinct small fluorescent particles in the cell body were found to move directionally at speeds around 10 micro m/min. These results contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of cell-cell contact formation of adult cardiomyocytes, which is a prerequisite for any future implantation technology.

Differential protein localization in sarcomeric and nonsarcomeric contractile structures of cultured cardiomyocytes

The use of cardiomyocyte cell culture models allows the identification of various cell mediators that bring about changes in subcellular structures and gene expression associated with hypertrophy. The effects of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and triiodothyronine (T3) on gene expression and on the structural organization of myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins were compared in adult atrial (aARC) and ventricular (vARC) as well as in neonatal ventricular rat cardiomyocytes (vNRC) in long-term culture. Structural changes were evaluated by confocal microscopy and correlated to biochemical alterations. In vARC, IGF-I enhanced myofibrillar growth, whereas bFGF or T3 restricted sarcomere assembly to the central cell area, forming a sharp boundary in more than 50% of the cells. However, myosin occurred both in the cross-striated myofibrillar structures and in patches running along the nonsarcomeric fibrillar structures (also called stress fiber-like structures) in the cell periphery. In cells treated with either bFGF or T3, the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-sm actin) was greatly increased. This actin isoform was incorporated mainly into the nonsarcomeric contractile structures outside the area where myofibrils ended abruptly. alpha-sm actin protein increased up to 14- to 17-fold while the mRNA showed a moderate increase of 2- to 4-fold. This suggests that alpha-sm actin is mainly regulated at the translational or posttranslational level. In contrast, the cytoskeletal proteins alpha-actinin and vinculin increased only moderately (less than 2-fold) but also showed a relocalization in cells with restricted myofibrils. In aARC and in vNRC, alpha-sm actin was only moderately upregulated by bFGF or T3 and no drastic morphological changes were observed. In conclusion, IGF-I, bFGF, and T3 induced characteristic structural phenotypes depending on the type of cardiomyocyte. Large amounts of alpha-sm actin as expressed in bFGF and T3 treated vARC seem to be incompatible with sarcomere assembly.

HL-1 cells: a cardiac muscle cell line that contracts and retains phenotypic characteristics of the adult cardiomyocyte

We have derived a cardiac muscle cell line, designated HL-1, from the AT-1 mouse atrial cardiomyocyte tumor lineage. HL-1 cells can be serially passaged, yet they maintain the ability to contract and retain differentiated cardiac morphological, biochemical, and electrophysiological properties. Ultrastructural characteristics typical of embryonic atrial cardiac muscle cells were found consistently in the cultured HL-1 cells. Reverse transcriptase-PCR-based analyses confirmed a pattern of gene expression similar to that of adult atrial myocytes, including expression of alpha-cardiac myosin heavy chain, alpha-cardiac actin, and connexin43. They also express the gene for atrial natriuretic factor. Immunohistochemical staining of the HL-1 cells indicated that the distribution of the cardiac-specific markers desmin, sarcomeric myosin, and atrial natriuretic factor was similar to that of cultured atrial cardiomyocytes. A delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr) was the most prominent outward current in HL-1 cells. The activating currents displayed inward rectification and deactivating current tails were voltage-dependent, saturated at >>+20 mV, and were highly sensitive to dofetilide (IC50 of 46.9 nM). Specific binding of [3H]dofetilide was saturable and fit a one-site binding isotherm with a Kd of 140 +/- 60 nM and a Bmax of 118 fmol per 10(5) cells. HL-1 cells represent a cardiac myocyte cell line that can be repeatedly passaged and yet maintain a cardiac-specific phenotype.

Gene expression and atrial natriuretic factor processing and secretion in cultured AT-1 cardiac myocytes

BACKGROUND

Studies were carried out to characterize several biochemical features of cultured AT-1 cells.

METHODS AND RESULTS

These cells were obtained from a transplantable atrial cardiomyocyte tumor lineage. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-based analyses demonstrated that the pattern of gene expression of cultured AT-1 cells was similar to that of adult atrial myocytes. AT-1 cells expressed atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), alpha-cardiac myosin heavy chain, alpha-cardiac actin, and connexin43. Radioimmunoassays verified that the cells synthesized, stored, and secreted ANF. Through size-exclusion, reversed-phase, and carboxymethyl-ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography, it was shown that cultured AT-1 cells stored ANF as pro-ANF (ANF-[1-126]), which was cosecretionally processed quantitatively to ANF-(1-98) and the bioactive 28-amino-acid ANF-(99-126). In addition, cultured AT-1 cells secreted ANF at almost a sixfold greater rate in response to endothelin-1, a potent secretagogue of ANF. KCl, metenkephalinamide, isoproterenol, phenylephrine, and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate also stimulated ANF release.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies, in combination with previous findings, demonstrated that cultured AT-1 cells, while maintaining the ability to proliferate, have retained functional, biochemical, and ultrastructural features that are characteristic of adult atrial myocytes.

Morphological characterization of cardiomyocytes isolated from a transplantable cardiac tumor derived from transgenic mouse atria (AT-1 cells)

We have developed a transplantable tumor lineage derived from transgenic mouse atrial cardiomyocytes that express the SV40 large T oncogene and have named these cardiomyocytes AT-1 cells. In this study, the transplantable tumors, freshly isolated tumor cardiomyocytes, and cultured tumor cardiomyocytes were examined using phase-contrast microscopy, autoradiography, and electron microscopy. The vast majority of the subcutaneous tumor cells, greater than 90% of the cellular mass of the tumor, exhibited sarcomeric banding. Ultrastructural characteristics typical of in vivo atrial cardiac muscle cells, including well-organized myofibrils, gap junctions, and atrial-specific cytoplasmic granules, were observed in in situ and in freshly isolated AT-1 cells. Those cells that did not contain some form of organized myofibrils were primarily vascular elements, such as endothelial cells. Labeling with [3H]thymidine indicated that greater than 90% of cultured AT-1 cells were synthesizing DNA; furthermore, many cells could be seen undergoing cell division. Electron microscopy revealed that the cultured AT-1 cardiomyocytes contained all of the above-described characteristics, including a well-developed transverse tubular system.

Morphological analysis of contracting and quiescent adult rabbit cardiac myocytes in long-term culture

Isolated rabbit ventricular cardiac myocytes adapt readily to primary culture. As the myocytes spread and flatten over the culture substratum, the myofibrillar apparatus retains a "rod-like" orientation. Development of contractile activity is crucial in the maintenance of the integrity of the myofibrillar apparatus during prolonged culture. Myocytes that fail to beat display morphological indications of atrophy; conversely, myocytes that commence beating show no such morphological signs of myofibrillar disorganization. The subcellular organization of other elements of the contractile apparatus, including the transverse tubular system and the sarcoplasmic reticulum, retain their structural relationship with the myofibrils in beating myocytes but not in quiescent cells. Cultured adult myocytes represent an important model to investigate the influence of mechanical factors on the organization and maintenance of the adult cardiac phenotype.

Culture and characterization of fetal human atrial and ventricular cardiac muscle cells

Atrial and ventricular cardiac muscle cells isolated from 14- to 18-wk old fetal human hearts were grown in culture and characterized. Once established in culture the flattened cells contracted spontaneously and possessed differentiated ultrastructural characteristics including organized sarcomeres, intercalated discs, and transverse tubules with couplings. Atrial granules were present in the cultured atrial cells. Some cultured ventricular myocytes also contained electron-dense granules associated with Golgi cisternae, which were similar in size and appearance to atrial granules. The cultured ventricular myocytes divided and expressed the genes for thymidine kinase, histone H4, myosin heavy chain, muscle-specific creatine kinase, atrial natriuretic factor, and insulin-like growth factor II. These results establish that differentiated fetal human heart muscle cells can be cultured in sufficient quantities for biochemical, molecular, and morphological analyses.

Primary cell culture and morphological characterization of ventricular myocytes from the adult newt, Notophthalmus viridescens

Previous work has demonstrated that adult newt cardiac myocytes possess a proliferative ability in response to an experimentally induced injury, in vivo. This study describes an in vitro model in which the proliferative events of the adult cardiac myocyte may be studied. Ventricles were minced and then enzymatically dissociated in a Ca++- and MG++-free salt solution containing 0.5% trypsin and 625 U/ml of CLS II collagenase for 8 to 10 hours at 25 degrees C. Enzyme digests were preplated and then cultured on bovine corneal endothelial-derived basement membrane "carpets" in either serum-free or serum-supplemented modified Leibovitz's medium for up to 30 days. Light and transmission electron microscopic characterization demonstrated that a majority of the myocytes underwent an initial period of disorganization characterized by a "rounding up" of the cell and a loss of myofibrillar organization. Once the myocytes had attached to the culture substratum they began to spread out, underwent a reassembly of their contractile elements, resumed spontaneous contractions, and demonstrated ultrastructural evidence of protein synthesis. Mitosis was observed in several myocytes 8 to 15 days following isolation. In 15-day serum-supplemented and serum-free cultures, 6.5% +/- 0.9% and 8.1% +/- 1.4% of the myocytes were binucleated, respectively. These results demonstrate that adult newt ventricular myocytes can be successfully placed into primary culture and are capable of undergoing mitosis. This work may be considered as a foundation for future investigations which will focus on the mechanisms which control cardiac myocyte proliferation.

Growth factors and TPA stimulate DNA synthesis and alter the morphology of cultured terminally differentiated adult rat cardiac muscle cells

Previous studies have established that the terminally differentiated ventricular cardiac muscle cell of the adult rat reinitiates semiconservative DNA replication when grown in culture (W. C. Claycomb and H. D. Bradshaw, Jr., 1983, Dev. Biol. 90, 331-337). Work reported here shows that several growth factors and chemicals will stimulate this DNA synthetic activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Autoradiographic experiments establish that this stimulated DNA synthesis is due to cells not previously synthesizing DNA being induced to enter the S phase of the cell cycle. By far the greatest stimulation (250%) is observed with the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Fifty ng/ml is the optimal concentration, and the maximal effect is observed 5 days after adding TPA. TPA also substantially increases the protein content of the cultured myocytes. Diacylyglcerols (DAG) induce these same changes, indicating that the effect of TPA is mediated by protein kinase C. The morphology of the cultured cardiac muscle cells is profoundly altered by TPA and DAG. TPA- and DAG-treated myocytes spread more thinly on the surface of the culture flask, acquire multiple nuclei, and undergo nucleolar fragmentation. The myofibrillar ultrastructure of the treated cells becomes almost totally disorganized, and intermediate filaments and rough endoplasmic reticulum accumulate in the cytoplasm. These TPA results suggest a possible relationship between the degree of ultrastructural differentiation of the ventricular cardiac muscle cell and DNA synthetic activity. This easily altered cellular plasticity should be very useful for studies of the regulation of cardiac muscle cell proliferation and cell differentiation.

Monensin turns on microtubule-associated translocation of secretory granules in cultured rat atrial myocytes

We have studied the effect of monensin on microtubule-associated translocation of atrial secretory granules in 5-7-day-old cultures of atrial myocytes from adult rats. Atrial granules and microtubules were localized by immunofluorescent microscopy of myocytes double-labeled with primary antibodies against atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ANP) and alpha-tubulin. In control myocytes, fluorescence due to atrial granules was predominantly localized to the perinuclear region containing the Golgi complex. After exposure for 30 minutes to monensin (0.5-5.0 microM), myocytes transiently contained conspicuous linear arrays of atrial granules associated with cytoplasmic microtubules. Thereafter, ANP fluorescence accumulated in subsarcolemmal foci at the cell periphery, while perinuclear ANP fluorescence faded. The monensin-induced redistribution of atrial granules was observable in both serum-containing and serum-free media and was unaffected by reducing external Ca2+ to low values, by inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release with ryanodine, or by both. The redistribution was prevented by pretreatment with nocodazole, which fragmented microtubules and scattered Golgi complexes and the associated atrial granules throughout the cytoplasm. Radioimmunoassay showed that monensin seemingly decreased the rate of ANP secretion into the medium from 0.15 to 0.11 fmol/(hr.myocyte). These results suggest that monensin turns on microtubule-associated translocation of atrial granules from the perinuclear areas to the cell periphery by modifying the interaction between microtubules and atrial granules. Monensin also promotes movement of atrial granules along the microtubules but does not accelerate the release of ANP.

Immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor is present in both atria and ventricles

A comparative study has been made of the amount and form of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) present in atria versus ventricles in situ and in cultures of atrial and ventricular cardiocytes in rats of various ages: foetus (-2 days of age), newborn (3 days of age), 10 days, 35 days and 70 days old. It was first established that ANF is present in the circulation at all ages investigated, the highest levels being found in the foetus. The atrial content of ANF increased gradually with time and was always in the microgram range. In ventricles, where it was in the nanogram range, total ANF increased with age. More ANF was found in the right than in the left atrium at all ages except in the foetus where the reverse was true. In ventricles, ANF was distributed equally between right ventricle, left ventricle and septum in the foetus, the newborn and in the adult. At 10 days and 35 days, ANF was unequally distributed: (right ventricle greater than septum greater than left ventricle). In cultured atrial cardiocytes, ANF was more abundant than in cultured ventricular cardiocytes at all ages and the amount decreased with the age of the donor animals. Atrial cardiocytes secreted more ANF than did ventricular cardiocytes at all ages investigated, the amount secreted generally decreasing with the age of the donor animals. The secretory activity of atrial cardiocytes per hour was also higher than that of their ventricular counterparts; over this time period, both types of cells secreted more ANF in the presence of serum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Culture of intramural cardiac ganglia of the newborn guinea-pig. II. Non-neuronal elements

The present study describes the ultrastructure of non-neuronal cells and their interrelationships with intracardiac neurones present in cultures dissociated atria and interatrial septum from newborn guinea-pig. When compared with the in situ preparation, most of these features in culture were similar to those observed in situ, but some differences were also apparent. Both mature and immature Schwann cells were observed in culture, and as in situ, the latter were closely associated with intracardiac neurones, whilst the former were more widely separated. The ultrastructure of satellite cells was more variable in culture than in situ: three general types were distinguished on the basis of their 10-nm filament content. This variation could be due to conditions of culture. Interstitial cells were present in culture and closely resembled those described in situ, although there was less space between cultured interstitial cells and their associated cells. Many fibroblasts, some myoblasts and a few mast cells were also found in the culture preparations.

Culture of atrial and ventricular cardiac muscle cells from the adult squirrel monkey Saimiri sciureus

Atrial and ventricular cardiac muscle cells isolated from the adult squirrel monkey Saimiri sciureus were cultured and characterized by light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Freshly isolated cells were striated and cylindrical in shape and, when placed in culture, rounded up and lost their highly organized morphology. With prolonged time in culture, they spread out on the surface of the culture flask and reacquired many of the internal ultrastructural characteristics of their in vivo atrial and ventricular cardiac muscle cell counterparts. Autoradiographic experiments indicated that both atrial and ventricular myocytes synthesized DNA when grown in culture. In some binucleated atrial cells only one nucleus became labelled. These studies show that it is now possible to culture cardiac muscle cells isolated from an adult primate.

Secretory patterns of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) by cultured cardiocytes of right and left atrium from newborn and adult rats

Atrial cardiocytes from newborn (2-5 day old) and adult rats were cultured and the secretory patterns of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) from isolated right and left atrial cells were investigated by radioimmunoassay. Newborn atrial cardiocytes from the left atrium consistently secreted larger amounts of ANF than those from the right with a peak on the 6th day and a decrease up to the 12th day. In contrast, adult atrial cardiocytes secreted much less ANF and this decreased to very low levels from the 3rd day up to the 12th day in culture although ANF was present in measurable amounts in these cells.