ABSTRACT
Progress in methods for isolating adult cardiomyocytes capable of survival in media of in vivo ionic composition and temperature quickly led to their use for a variety of investigations. The use of cultured adult cardiomyocytes for such studies has lagged that of isolated cells, perhaps because of technical problems associated with their use and because the preparation and maintenance of cultures requires additional laboratory resources. Several methods for preparing cultures of adult cardiomyocytes can be found in the literature, but relatively few laboratories have published results of investigations on cultured cells. Differential sedimentation and adhesion have both been used with cultures of adult cardiomyocytes. Isolated adult cardiomyocytes are very delicate, and most ways of manipulating them increase the conversion of intact cells to hypercontracted cells. Adult cardiomyocytes are exceptionally fastidious in culture, and a class of easily avoided problems with maintaining cultures arises from introduction of contaminating substances.
