Effect of Serum Concentration on Hypothermic Preservation of Cardiac Myocytes Isolated from Neonatal Rat Ventricle

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the functional and biochemical effects of serum concentrations on hypothermic preservation of cardiac myocytes. Myocytes were isolated from neonatal rat ventricles and cultured for 4 days, and then incubated for 24 hrs at 4 o C in media containing 0, 2, 5, 10, and 20% fetal calf serum (FCS). The myocytes were then cultured for an additional 24 hrs at 37 o C to evaluate the recovery of myocyte beating rate. The recovery ratio of myocyte beating rate after hypothermic incubation was 25.3±14.2 percent of control in the serum-free, 33.0% in 2% FCS, 30.7% in 5% FCS, 22.3% in 10% FCS, and 24.3% in 20% FCS groups