Fragments of single cardiac cells were obtained by homogenization of ventricular tissue from adult rats. Remaining pieces of sacrolemma were removed by micro-dissection. Tension was recorded from the ends of the skinned (sarcolemma-free) cells with a photodiode force transducer. 2. In the presence of a strong buffering of the free [Ca2+] with 4-0 mM total EGTA, a tonic tension was obtained that increased according to t sigmoid curve when the free ([Ca2+] was increased from 10(-6-75)M to 10(-5-0)M. This curve was not modified by the destruction of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) by the detergent Brij 58. Therefore, the tonic tension corresponded to the direct effect of the free [Ca2+] present in the buffer on the myofilaments. 3. In the presence of a slight buffering of the free [Ca2+] with 0-050 mM total EGTA, cyclic contractions were observed that were attributed to cyclic releases and re-sequestrations of Ca2+ by the SR. The absence of effect of azide and ruthenium red on the cyclic contractions obtained at a free [Ca2+] lower than 10(-6-50)M demonstrated that the mitochondria played no role in the triggering of these contractions. 4. Cyclic contractions were induced by a slight variation of free [Ca2+] in the buffer from 10(-7-65)M to 10(-7-40)M. Their amplitude at 10(-7-40)M free Ca2+ was equal to the tonic tension developed by a free [Ca2+] 20 times higher applied to the myofilaments when the SR was destroyed by detergent or functionally inhibited by high total [EGTA]. It was concluded that these cyclic contractions corresponded to a Ca2+-triggered release of Ca2+ from the SR. 5. The cyclic contractions were induced by the filling of the SR with Ca2+ to a critical level at which it released a fraction of the Ca2+ it contained. Each contraction was followed by a re-sequestration of Ca2+, the kinetics of which conditioned the duration of the cycles. 6. The amplitude of the cyclic contractions increased when the free [Ca2+] that triggered them was increased. This gradation was deemed incompatible with a simple regenerative process, which should produce an all-or-nothing response. Additional process, such as a modulation of the Ca2+ release by free [Mg2+] and [ADP] may help to explain the gradation of the contractions. 7. It was concluded that a Ca2+-triggered release of Ca2+ from the SR of rat ventricular cells may amplify the Ca2+ flux crossing the sarcolemma during the plateau of the action potential, thereby permitting the activation of the myofilaments.
