Abstract

A new approach for investigating the mechanisms and evolution of cardiac muscle cell injury was presented by applying fine structural extracellular protein tracers in the catecholamine-induced cardiac muscle cell injury model. The results with these diffusion tracers indicated striking functional changes at the level of coronary microcirculation followed by early permeability alteration of cardiac muscle cell membranes, thus suggesting the role of these factors in myocardial changes which develop without narrowing or obstruction of coronary arteries.