Fig. 2

The slow force response to sudden stretch in normal and failing rat myocardium. The slow change in isometric tension in response to sudden stretch in normal (n = 6) and failing (n = 6) rat myocardium. SFR magnitude is expressed as a percentage of the amplitude of first twitch after stretch. The dotted line shows the level of “no change.” Scatter-plots of raw data (dots), median values (long thick lines) and 25–75% percentiles (short thin lines) are shown. Asterisks indicate that the mean values are significantly different between CONT and MCT groups for the given time (Mann–Whitney U test, P < 0.05)