The number and some other characteristics of isolated human ventricular cardiomyocytes under pathological conditions.
Using a modified method for alkalic dissociation, isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes were obtained from eight patients who had died of different diseases. The absolute number of cardiomyocytes, counted in the Fuchs-Rosenthal chamber, ranged between 1.10 x 10(9) and 3.25 x 10(9) in the left ventricle, and between 0.58 x 10(9) and 1.42 x 10(9) in the right ventricle depending on myocardial mass. Mean volume of cells ranged between 75 x 10(3) and 344 x 10(3) microns3, and the content of polynuclear, predominantly binucleated, cardiomyocytes amounted to 14 to 49%. An increase in ventricular myocardium mass was associated with an increase in cardiomyocyte volume. A negative correlation was demonstrated between the absolute number of cardiomyocytes on the one hand, and their mean volume and proportion of polynuclear cells on the other.