Contributions of Stretch Activation to Length-dependent Contraction in Murine Myocardium

The steep relationship between systolic force production and end diastolic volume (Frank-Starling relationship) in myocardium is a potentially important mechanism by which the work capacity of the heart varies on a beat-to-beat basis, but the molecular basis for the effects of myocardial fiber length on cardiac work are still not well understood. Recent studies have suggested that an intrinsic property of myocardium, stretch activation, contributes to force generation during systolic ejection in myocardium. To examine the role of stretch activation in length dependence of activation we recorded the force responses of murine skinned myocardium to sudden stretches of 1% of muscle length at both short (1.90 microm) and long (2.25 microm) sarcomere lengths (SL). Maximal Ca(2+)-activated force and Ca(2+) sensitivity of force were greater at longer SL, such that more force was produced at a given Ca(2+) concentration. Sudden stretch of myocardium during an otherwise isometric contraction resulted in a concomitant increase in force that quickly decayed to a minimum and was followed by a delayed development of force, i.e., stretch activation, to levels greater than prestretch force. At both maximal and submaximal activations, increased SL significantly reduced the initial rate of force decay following stretch; at submaximal activations (but not at maximal) the rate of delayed force development was accelerated. This combination of mechanical effects of increased SL would be expected to increase force generation during systolic ejection in vivo and prolong the period of ejection. These results suggest that sarcomere length dependence of stretch activation contributes to the steepness of the Frank-Starling relationship in living myocardium.