Evidence for a structural relationship between successive parallel tubules in the SR network and supernumerary striations of Z line material in purkinje fibers of the chicken, sheep, dog and rhesus monkey heart

Abstract

The striations and the intervening filaments observed in the present study have been variously designated in the literature as: prodomal pattern, leptomeric myofibril, microladder, leptomeric organelle, leptofibril and zebra body. Electron microscope examinations of Purkinje fibers from the septa, papillaries, trabeculae carneae and small endocardial strands from chicken, sheep, dog and monkey hearts have revealed a close association between densely stained striations of supernumerary Z line material and successive parallel tubules in the network formed by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The striations appear to be linked together by filaments that somewhat resemble the part of thin filaments attached to Z lines in normal fibrils. The evidence for a close association of striations and SR tubules is derived from a similarity of spacing between striations and successive parallel tubules in the SR network and from a resemblance of striation and SR network patterns. The evidence for a structural relationship between striations and SR tubules is derived from the observation of electron-opaque strands traversing the space between striations and SR tubules.