Nucleic acid content of turkey heart with a note on hemodynamic findings

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Abstract
In order to study the marked disparity in thickness of the left and right ventricular (LV and RV) walls of the turkey heart, DNA, RNA, and protein content of LV and RV myocardium were determined in fowl aged 4, 6, and 11 weeks and at maturity. DNA concentration in RV tissue was significantly greater than that in LV tissue in each bird and at each age. DNA concentration in both ventricles, moreover, decreased with increasing age. Protein concentration in both ventricles increased as did protein-to-DNA ratios. Although RNA concentration showed less consistent changes with age, the RNA-to-DNA ratio increased. It was concluded that the predominant cellular change with age was hypertrophy. In addition, electrocardiograms and hemodynamic data were obtained on birds in each group. Although pulmonary artery pressure is comparable to that in other laboratory animals, a markedly elevated systemic blood pressure develops between the ages of 6 and 11 weeks. The role of hypertension as a determinant of cellular size in the LV was not elucidated by this study.

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