Sarcomere dynamics in single myocardial cells as revealed by high-resolution light diffractometry.

A specially designed diffractometer with a high spatial and temporal resolution recorded the diffraction of a laser beam by single enzymatically isolated myocardial cells. The fine structures within the first-order diffraction were resolved and each structure was interpreted as the diffraction from a group of sarcomeres of nearly equal length. During activation of the cell dynamics of each discrete group of sarcomeres was uniform and independent of the other groups. However, a small nonuniform component in the sarcomere dynamics was observed and attributed to the coupling between the shortening tension and the radial stress resulting from the expansion of the myofibrillar cross-section. The time-course of the diffraction fine structures during contractile activity revealed (1) the period of the contraction-relaxation cycle, (2) the latent period, (3) the shortening and relengthening speeds and (4) the variation in the line width and intensity of the fine structure. Measurements showed that the latent period was dependent on the free Ca2+ of the cell's bathing solution while the initial shortening speed was not. The diffraction line width and intensity of the shortening cell were explained by the grating model.