Fig. 5

The effect of stretch on characteristics of Ca²⁺ transient “bump” in RV trabeculae of control and monocrotaline-treated male and female rats. a Original Ca²⁺ transients (grey lines) obtained in rat trabeculae at different stretches (indicated as a % of L _MAX) with superimposed monotonous declines (black lines). Arrows indicate the discrepancy between the original and monotonous traces (“bump”). b Time profiles of “bump” obtained at different stretches (data from panel “a”). Arrows indicate the maximal gap between the original Ca²⁺ transient and its monotonous decline (time-to-peak “bump”). The time-to-peak “bump” is calculated as a time of peak of profile minus time-to-peak Ca²⁺ transient (i.e. time-to-peak “bump” is related to the onset of Ca²⁺ transient decline). The shaded area under black trace is the integral magnitude of the “bump” (bump IM). c Stretch-dependent changes in the integral magnitude of the “bump” (bump IM), expressed as a % of total area under Ca²⁺ transient assuming its monotonous decline (CaT), in RV trabeculae of control and MCT-treated male (left panel) and female rats (right panel). d Stretch-dependent changes in the time-to-peak “bump” in RV trabeculae of control and MCT-treated male (left panel) and female rats (right panel). Relative length is expressed as a % of L _MAX. Y axis scales on panels c, d are identical for males and females. Data presented as mean ± SEM. *Significant difference between CONT-male vs MCT-male at the same relative length (P < 0.05). No differences were observed between CONT-female and MCT-female