Chronotropism and blood flow patterns following teratogenic doses of catecholamines in 5‐day‐old chick embryos

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In vivo heart rates of 5‐day‐old chick embryos were recorded from electrodes placed in close proximity to the heart. L‐epinephrine (4 × 10−10 mole), 1‐norepinephrine (1 × 10−9 mole) and 1‐isoproterenol (1.6 × 10−10 mole) in 5 μl of isotonic saline transiently accelerated the mean heart rate by almost 9%. L‐phenylephrine (2 × 10−9 mole/5μl) and the experimental procedure produced no appreciable effect. The positive chronotropic effect of the catecholamines was found to be highly significant (P < 0.0005) as computed by Student's t test. However, no direct relationship could be established between the chronotropic response and the aortic arch anomalies produced. A prolonged reduction of blood flow in the primitive heart tube and the sixth aortic arch after administration of epinephrine and isoproterenol is apparently related to the induction of hypoplastic right pulmonary artery with absent or hypoplastic right ductus arteriosus.