Effects of acidosis on force-sarcomere length and force-velocity relations of rat cardiac muscle.

The effect of hypercapnic acidosis was compared with that of lowering extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca++]o) in rat cardiac trabeculae. The relations between force and sarcomere length and between force and velocity were studied. Sarcomere length was measured by means of laser diffraction techniques and sarcomere shortening velocity by means of isovelocity releases. The curve representing the relation between force and sarcomere length shifted from convex towards the ordinate (pH 7.35) to convex towards the abscissa (pH 6.68) as after [Ca++]o had been reduced from 1.5 to 0.3 mmol X litre-1. Increasing [Ca++]o at low pH from 1.5 to 4.0 mmol X litre-1 allowed the shape of the relation to be restored, but force values failed to return to control values. The relation between force and pH over the range 6.22-7.94 was also tested. During steady low pH maximum unloaded sarcomere shortening velocity was not significantly different from control values whereas it was decreased at low [Ca++]o. Under both conditions maximum isometric tension (Po) was reduced. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that H+ ions cause a shift of the force-p Ca curve to the right at all sarcomere lengths, as a result of competition between Ca++ and H+ ions for binding to the myofilaments.