Influence of Glucose on Contractile Activity of Papillary Muscle During and After Anoxia

Papillary muscles from the right ventricle of the cat were subjected to periods of anoxia ranging from 15–60 minutes with and without glucose in the Krebs-Henseleit (bicarbonate) solution. Under aerobic conditions glucose was not required in the medium for the maintenance of contraction strength. Under anaerobic conditions the contraction strength decreased rapidly and after 30 minutes of oxygen deficiency contractile activity ceased. Reintroduction of oxygen after 15 minutes of anoxia resulted in full recovery of contraction strength for both control and glucose deficient muscles. After longer periods of anoxia, aerobic recovery was greater for muscles with glucose present during the anaerobic period. Little aerobic recovery was noted for muscles in glucose deficient medium during the 60 minutes of anoxia.