Prepotentials and unidirectional propagation in myocardium

In frog ventricular strips bathed in Ca-free Ringer's solution containing 6–30 mm/liter Mg and treated with conditioning current pulses, propagation became impaired. An exaggerated foot, or prepotential, was consistently more prominent when the conditioned strip was stimulated from one end than from the other. Occasionally a prepotential in isolation alternated with a prepotential plus action potential response. After further treatment with current pulses, propagation failed in the direction of negative current flow. Thresholds of impaled cells were identical. Bidirectional propagation was restored in Ringer's solution. Conditioning pulses of reversed polarity induced unidirectional propagation in the reverse direction. Propagation in frog sartorius muscle was not blocked under similar conditions. Prepotentials and unidirectional propagation may be explained by junctional transmission from cell to cell.