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Comment
. 2010 Jan 1;588(Pt 1):23-5.
doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2009.184242.

Lüttgau & Niedergerke; the classic study of calcium-sodium antagonism half a century on

David J Miller  1 , Godfrey L Smith
Affiliations
Comment

Lüttgau & Niedergerke; the classic study of calcium-sodium antagonism half a century on

David J Miller et al. J Physiol. .
No abstract available

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Effect of diminished NaCl on twitch tension
Maximum twitch tension of a heart strip equilibrated with various compositions of Ringer's fluid plotted against Ca2+ concentrations at four different NaCl concentrations (NaCl of Ringer's fluid is replaced by osmotically equivalent sucrose). ‘Reference curve’ at 100% NaCl is drawn empirically; curves at 75, 50 and 25% NaCl have been constructed from the ‘reference curve’, assuming peak tensions to be constant at given values of the [Ca2+]:[Na+]2 ratio. Frequency of stimulation 2/min; diameter of strip 0.35 mm. (Figure and legend from Lüttgau & Niedergerke, 1958.)
Figure 2
Figure 2. The effects of extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) on intracellular [Ca2+] concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a simplified model of a quiescent cardiac muscle cell (see inset)
The intracellular concentrations of both Na and Ca ions is the result of a balance between influx and active efflux. For Ca2+ the main route for efflux is via the Ca–Na exchanger (NCX). For Na+, the magnitude of the Na+ leak was set at 10 times that of NCX-mediated Na+ influx. Both influx pathways are balanced by a Na+ pump (NaP). The data describe this relationship under the following conditions: with no adjustment of [Na+]o; with adjustment based on a constant [Ca2+]o/[Na+]o3; or [Ca2+]o/[Na+]o2. (For further details of the model, see Weber et al. 2001.)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

References

    1. Lüttgau HCh. Electrophysiology of the Heart. Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1965. pp. 87–95. 1963 Milan.
    1. Lüttgau HC, Niedergerke R. The antagonism between Ca and Na ions on the frog's heart. J Physiol. 1958;143:486–505. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Miller DJ, Moisescu DG. The effects of very low external calcium and sodium concentrations on cardiac contractile strength and calcium–sodium antagonism. J Physiol. 1976;259:283–308. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Niedergerke R, Harris EJ. Accumulation of calcium (or strontium) under conditions of increasing contractility. Nature. 1957;179:1068–1069. - PubMed
    1. Niedergerke R, Lüttgau HC. Antagonism between calcium and sodium ions. Nature. 1957;179:1066–1067. - PubMed

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