Fine Structure of the Atrial Cardiocytes in the House Musk Shrew (Suncus murinus)

The atrial and ventricular cardiocytes of the house musk shrew were examined by immunohistochemistry, and the right atrium containing the auricle was studied by transmission electron microscopy. The atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-granules of the cardiocytes in the auricle and the rest of the atrium were also analyzed by ultrastructural morphometry. On immunohistochemistry, ANP immunoreactivity was detected in the atria, with the most intensely reacting cardiocytes being localized in the right auricular part of the atrium. ANP immunoreactivity was not detected in the ventricular muscles. On ultrastructure, in most of the atrial cardiocytes including the auricle, ANP-granules, well-developed Golgi apparatus and rough endoplasmic reticulum were observed, and the nuclei were characteristically situated in the periphery of the cardiocytes, being different from many other mammalian hearts. The ANP-granules were classified into two types (A and B), with most of these granules being located in the paranuclear region in association with the Golgi apparatus, and a few ANP granules being observed throughout the sarcoplasmic layers intervening between the myofibrilar bundles. On ultrastructural morphometry, the total number of granules in the right auricular cardiocytes was significantly greater than those in the atrial cardiocytes, and the diameter of the A-granules was significantly greater than that of the B-granules in both the atrial and auricular cardiocytes.