Abstract
Previous work (Macey, 1952) in the application of the one-factor theory to the heart is extended. The rate of production of the excitatory state is assumed to be linear. Two possible mechanisms are indicated whereby such a situation might arise. Assumptions are made regarding the mode of action of the chemical mediators on the heart, and an equation is derived relating the heart rate to the frequency of nerve impulses traveling along the cardiac nerves. This result compares favorably with the experimental findings of A. Rosenblueth and F. A. Simeone (1934). Other experimental results are interpreted in terms of the theory.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature
Bozler, E. 1942. “The Initiation of Impulses in Cardiac Muscle.”Amer. Jour. Physiol.,138, 273–82.
Brown, G. L. and J. C. Eccles. 1934. “Action of Single Vagal Volley on Heart Rate.”Jour. Physiol.,82, 211–40.
Bulbring, E. and J. H. Burn. 1949. “Action of Acetylcholine on Rabbit Auricles in Relation to Acetylcholine Synthesis.”Jour. Physiol.,108, 508–24.
Clark, A. J. 1933.Mode of Action of Drugs on Cells. London: E. Arnold and Company.
— and J. Raventós. 1938a. “Hydrolysis of Acetylcholine by Tissues.”Quart. Jour. Exp. Physiol.,28, 155–76.
—. 1938b. “Release of Acetylcholine by Vagal Stimulation.”Ibid. 28, 177–92.
—. 1939a. “Response of Tissue to Sympathetic Stimulation.”Ibid.,29, 165–83.
—. 1939b. “Durations of Responses to Adrenalin, Tyramine, and Ephedrine.”Ibid.,29, 185–200.
Di Palma, J. R. and A. V. Mascatello. 1951. “Excitability of Refractory Period of Isolated Heart Muscle of the Cat.”Amer. Jour. Physiol.,164, 589–600.
Draper, M. H. and S. Weidmann. 1951. “Cardiac Resting and Action Potentials Recorded with an Intracellular Electrode.”Jour. Physiol.,115, 74–94.
Eccles, J. C. and H. E. Hoff. 1934. “The Rhythm of the Heart Beat: I. Location, Action Potential, and Electrical Excitability of Pacemaker.”Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B.,115, 307–27.
Heubner, W. and V. Runcan. 1939. “Cholinester in isolierten Froschherzen ohne Vagusreizung.”Naturwissenschaft,27, 195.
Howell, W. H. 1905. “The Cause of the Heart Beat,” 205–337.The Harvey Lectures. Philadelphia and London: J. B. Lippincott Company.
—. 1936.A Textbook of Physiology for Medical Students and Physicians. 13th Ed. Philadelphia and London: W. B. Saunders and Co.
Ishikawa, H. 1924.Studies in the Fundamental Phenomena of Life. Kyoto: Kyoto University.
Macey, R. 1952. “The Excitation of the Heart and Its Modification Under the Influence of the Chemical Mediators and the Cardiac Nerves: I. Some General Consequences of the One-Factor Theory.”Bull. Math. Biophysics,14, 185–92.
Paes, E. 1949. “Chemical Mediators as Promoting Agents of the Origin of the Heart Rhythm.”Amer. Jour. Physiol.,159, 467–70.
Rosenblueth, A. 1932. “The Mode of Action of Adrenalin and the Quantitation of Adrenalin by Biological Methods.”Amer. Jour. Physiol.,101, 149–65.
—. 1932. “The Chemical Mediation of Autonomic Nervous Impulses as Evidenced by Summation of Responses.”Ibid.,102, 12–38.
—. 1950.The Transmission of Nerve Impulses at Neuroeffector Junctions and Peripheral Synapses. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
— and R. S. Morison. 1934. “A Quantitative Study of the Production of Sympathin”Amer. Jour. Physiol.,109, 209–220.
— and J. García Ramós. 1947. “Estudios sobre el flutter y la fibrillacion: III. La actividad autosostenida en el musculo auricular aislado del mamifero.”Archivos del Inst. de Cardiol. de Mexico,17, 302–36.
— and F. A. Simeone. 1934. “The Interrelations of Vagal and Accelerator Effects on the Cardiac Rate.”Amer. Jour. Physiol.,110, 42–55.
Runcan, V. 1940. “Cholinester aus isolierten Froschherzen ohne Vagusreizung.”Arch. fuer Exp. Path. und Pharmakol,195, 516–22.
Samaan, A. 1934. “The Antagonistic Cardiac Nerves and the Heart Rate.”Jour. Physiol.,83, 332–40.
Tainter, M. L. and F. P. Luduena. 1950. “Sympathetic Hormonal Transmission.”Recent Progress in Hormone Research,5, 3–35. New York: Academic Press, Inc.
Welsh, J. H. 1948. “Concerning the Mode of Action of Acetylcholine.”Bull. Johns Hopkins Hosp.,83, 568–79.
— and R. Taub. 1950. “Structure Activity Relationships of Acetylcholine and Quarternary Ammonium Ions.”Jour. Pharmacol. and Exp. Therap.,99, 334–42.
Wiggers, C. J. 1934.Physiology in Health and Disease. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
United States Public Health Service Fellow in Mathematical Biology.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Macey, R.I. The excitation of the heart and its modification under the influence of the chemical mediators and the cardiac nerves: II. A particular case of the one-factor theory. Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics 15, 547–559 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02476442
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02476442