Development of cultured cardiac cells and difference of their structures in vivo.

Some interesting features in the morphological study of rat cardiac cells were obtained by use of the light and phase-contrast microscopy. The histological approach and comparison of the ultrastructures of the cultured cardiac cells with uncultured cells were included in the studies as a control. Four main points are discussed: the process of single beating cells that eventually constitutes the cell cluster and network, the function and histological content of the network, the mechanisms of synchronized beating cells, the substance of the cell surface coat and intercellular connection.