Differences in the content and turnover of noradrenaline in rat heart atria and ventricles and circadian-phase-dependency.

In light-dark-synchronized male rats the levels of noradrenaline in heart atria were about 3 times that found in heart ventricles. Noradrenaline turnover rate which were about 8-9 fold greater for the atria than for the ventricles displayed a circadian-phase-dependency with increased rates in the dark period in both parts of the rat heart.