This volume represents a part of the scientific proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting of the American Section of the International Society for Heart Research that was held in Oklahoma City from September 13-15, 1984. The chapters have been grouped according to the content of invited symposia on cardiovascular topics ranging from electrophysiology, autonomic control of the circulation, aging of the myocardium, mechanisms of cardiovascular injury, cultured heart cell studies, etc. Abstracts of all the papers presented at this meeting are included in Volume 16 (Supp. 1) of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. Since our understanding of the pathobiology of cardiovascular injury requires integrating knowledge from both basic and clinical sciences, the information presented in this volume extends from fundamental biochemical processes to pharmacological agents required to treat complex cardiac arrhythmias. At the molecular level, the structural lipids of the sarcolemma may be altered during myocardial ischemia; the role of free radicals in this process is one emerging area of active study. At the subcellular level, plasma membranes provide the anatomical basis for maintenance of optimal potentials of excitable cells; the anatomy and physiology of the sarcolemma ultimately determines the response to drugs and metabolic perturbants. At the cellular level, much progress has been made in our understanding of cultured and adult myocytes during ischemia and hypoxia; in particular, the electrophysiology of these model systems is well understood and several chapters address this approach.

Inhalt
I. Neural Components in Control of Cardiac Structure/Function.- 1. Myofilament Protein Phosphorylation and Neural Regulation of Cardiac Contractility.- 2. The Effects of Chronic Infusion of Norepinephrine on Cardiac Structure, Function, and Biochemistry Physiological vs. Pathological Hypertrophy.- 3. Load Regulation of Cardiac Muscle.- 4. Cardiocardiac Reflexes The Role of the Spinoreticular Tract.- II. Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias.- 5. The Ionic Currents Underlying Pacemaker Activity.- 6. Cytosolic Sodium Ion Activity in Heart Cells.- 7. The Basis of Triggered Activity.- III. Myocyte Models of Ischemia.- 8. Regulation of Calcium Slow Channel Function by Metabolism and Cyclic Nucleotides.- 9. Cultured Heart Cells as a Model for Studying Myocardial Ischemia.- 10. Membrane Potential of Neonatal Rat Myocytes: A Microelectrode and Patch Clamp Study.- 11. Metabolic Changes in Isolated Myocytes Following Hypdxia.- IV. Ionic and Metabolic Response of the Heart to Ischemia.- 12. Ionic and Metabolic Responses of the Heart to Ischemia.- 13. Alterations of Ionic Permeability During Ischemia.- 14. Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Ischemia.- V. Sarcolemma Structure and Function.- 15. Ultrastructure of the Myocardial Sarcolemma.- 16. Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcium Fluxes Across Sarcolemma Upon Excitation of Myocardium.- 17. Na-Ca Exchange, [Ca2+]i and Myocardial Contractility.- 18. Possible Mechanism for Cardiovascular Drug-Membrane Interactions.- 19. Perturbations of Sarcolemma by Lipases and Amphiphiles.- VI. Membrane Lipid Metabolism and Free Radicals in Myocardial Ischemia.- 20. Glycolytic Products and Ischemic Myocardial Damage.- 21. Biochemical Mechanisms Contributing to Ischemic Membrane Dysfunction.- 22. Activation of Phospholipases During MyocardialIschemia and Their Probable Role in Arrhythmogenesis.- 23. Myocardial Arachidonate Metabolism During ATP Depletion.- 24. The Role of Reduced Oxygen Intermediates During Myocardial Ischemia.- 25. Xanthine Oxidase as a Source of Free Radicals in Myocardial Ischemia.- VII. Vascular Endothelium Platelet Interaction.- 26. The Hemostatic System A Lay Summary of Old and New Observations.- 27. Stimulation Activation Coupling in Platelets.- 28. Regulation of Platelet Cytoskeletal Assemblies and Function.- VIII. Differentiation and Aging in the Myocardium: Impact of Exercise on These Processes.- 29. DNA Fragmentation as a Developmental Program for Cellular Aging in Cardiac Muscle.- 30. Activation of DNA Synthesis and Mitotic Events in Atrial Myocytes Following Atrial and Ventricular Injury.- 31. Ultrastructure of the Transverse Tubular System in Cultured Cardiac Muscle Cells.- 32. Altered Autonomic Modulation of Cardiovascular Function with Adult Aging: Perspectives from Studies Ranging from Man to Cells.- 33. Physiological and Biochemical Properties of Contractile Protein ATPase Activity of Aging Myocardium.- 34. Ventricular Isomyosins and the Tonic Regulation of Cardiac Contractility.- 35. Coenzyme Q and Myocardial Function in Aging and Exercise.