Fig. 2

Resting membrane potential (RMP) in electrically paced (a) and quiescent rat azygos vein (AZV). Termination of the electrical pacing causes spontaneous drift of membrane potential in quiescent AZV (b) in contrast to LA or RA: example tracks represent RMP changes under pacing maneuvers (the tracks are shown from the moment of pacing termination) (c). Resumption of the electrical pacing results in the hyperpolarization of RMP (d). LA left atrium, RA right atrium. Paced electrically paced AZV, quiescent AZV after 5 min of stabilization without electrical pacing. *p = 0.0195, AZV vs. LA; ^# p = 0.0030, AZV vs. RA (ANOVA); **p = 0.0002, paced vs. quiescent AZV (paired t test)