[A cytophotometric comparison of the age-related changes in the DNA and protein content in human atrial cardiomyocytes in heart diseases].

A study was performed on the human auricle muscle cells which were isolated from biopsies obtained in clinics during operation on heart. The nuclear DNA and the total protein in the cytoplasm were revealed by means of the two consecutive tests: the Feulgen and naphthol yellow S staining. DNA and protein contents were determined by two wave-length scanning cytophotometry. It is ascertained that under mitral defects the investigated parameters exhibit a tendency to increase with age: the nuclear ploidy and total protein content in the cytoplasm rise simultaneously with the increase in nuclear and cellular volumes, the polyploidy reaching higher levels than in myocardium of people of the same age without heart disease. If a patient suffered from ischemia, the nuclear polyploidy increased more slowly than cell hypertrophy to reach the level near the natural age limits.