Ammonia production in the isolated working rabbit heart
Ammonia production, oxygen consumption, heart rate and blood pressure were observed in the isolated working rabbit heart perfused with Krebs-Ringer solution and with Krebs-Ringer solution containing dog hemoglobin. Oxygen consumption and an index to cardiac effort (heart rate x blood pressure) were shown to be correlated. There was a lesser correlation between ammonia production and cardiac effort. The ratio, ammonia production/oxygen consumption, when both are expressed as micromoles/minute/ gram of heart weight, averaged 0.064 ± .006. Perfusate pH was altered by alternately exposing the perfusate to 95%O2– 5%CO2 and 90%O2–10%CO2. No effect on the ratio ammonia production/oxygen consumption was noted. l-Epinephrine, 0.1–1.0 µg/ml, was continuously infused and resulted in an increase in cardiac effort, oxygen consumption, ammonia production and the ratio of ammonia production/ oxygen consumption.