Microscopic heat pulses induce contraction of cardiomyocytes without calcium transients

作者：Oyama Kotaro; Mizuno Akari; Shintani Seine A; Itoh Hideki; Serizawa Takahiro; Fukuda Norio; Suzuki Madoka^*; Ishiwata Shin' ichi

来源：Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2012, 417(1): 607-612.

DOI：10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.12.015

• Calcium transients
• Cardiomyocytes
• Contraction
• Heat pulses
• IR laser
• Temperature changes

It was recently demonstrated that laser irradiation can control the beating of cardiomyocytes and hearts, however, the precise mechanism remains to be clarified. Among the effects induced by laser irradiation on biological tissues, temperature change is one possible effect which can alter physiological functions. Therefore, we investigated the mechanism by which heat pulses, produced by infra-red laser light under an optical microscope, induce contractions of cardiomyocytes. Here we show that microscopic heat pulses induce contraction of rat adult cardiomyocytes. The temperature increase, Delta T, required for inducing contraction of cardiomyocytes was dependent upon the ambient temperature; that is, Delta T at physiological temperature was lower than that at room temperature. Ca2+ transients, which are usually coupled to contraction, were not detected. We confirmed that the contractions of skinned cardiomyocytes were induced by the heat pulses even in free Ca2+ solution. This heat pulse-induced Ca2+-decoupled contraction technique has the potential to stimulate heart and skeletal muscles in a manner different from the conventional electrical stimulations.

• 出版日期2012-1-6