Breakdown and rebuilding of myofibrils in cultured adult cardiac muscle cells.

The myofibrils of adult rat cardiac muscle cells in culture break down and later reorganize into mature myofibrils. The myofibrillar breakdown and reorganization processes have been investigated with electron microscopical and immunocytochemical studies. The immunocytochemical studies included antibodies to actin, myosin, titin, and alpha-actinin. In addition, rhodamine-labeled phalloidin has been used. These studies revealed that the myofibrils were disorganized into amorphous and/or other forms during breakdown process. Some of these myofibrils undergo degradation and finally extrusion through exocytosis. The reorganization of myofibrils takes place mainly with the participation of the existing myofibrillar proteins in myocytes. This remyofibrillogenesis showed the emergence of punctate alpha-actinin from the existing amorphous alpha-actinin along with the differentiation of titin periodicities, which remained attached to the alpha-actinin structures. The punctate alpha-actinin later differentiated into periodicities, forming Z-lines. The periodicities of actin were differentiated from the amorphous actin and associated with the Z-lines, giving rise to titin, alpha-actinin, and actin complexes. Later, myosin filaments became associated with these complexes, forming sarcomeres where other myofibrillar proteins participated in the formation of mature myofibrils. The temporal sequence of differentiation of periodicities of certain myofibrillar proteins varied among different myocytes and within a single myocyte. The dynamic role of adult cardiac myocytes in the reconstruction of myofibrils is a remarkable phenomenon, which stabilizes adult cardiac muscle cells in long-term culture.