Normal Creatine, Phosphorus, and Potassium Content of Human Cardiac and Voluntary Muscle

While there are relatively few data in the literature dealing with the composition of cardiac and voluntary muscle obtained from human autopsy cases, there is a much greater scarcity of data upon individuals who have died sudden deaths and are therefore essentially normal.In the course of work being carried out by us on the variations in creatine, phosphorus, and potassium in cardiac and voluntary muscle we were able to obtain thirteen accident and homicide cases through the cooperation of Dr. Reuben Strauss and Miss Velma Hellerstein of Cuyahoga County Morgue. MeihodsSamples of the left and right ventricles and pectoralis major were obtained at autopsy and trimmed carefully to remoee all visible fat, connective tissue, endocardium, epicardium, and large blood vessels.Handling of the tissue was carried out in a humidor to avoid loss of moisture.Approximately 2 gm. of tissue were transferred to a previously weighed, glass-stoppered Erlenmeyer flask containing 20 cc. of 2 N H&304.After weighing, the sample was autoclaved for 45 minutes at 15 pounds pressure, cooled, and diluted to 100 cc.Aliquots of this hydrolysate were taken for the determination of creatine and for ashings for phosphorus and potassium determinations.