Assessment of Myofilament Ca²⁺ Sensitivity Underlying Cardiac Excitation-contraction Coupling

This paper describes a protocol that assesses the changes of myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity during contraction in isolated cardiac myocytes from rat heart. Together with cardiac electrophysiology, systolic/diastolic cytosol Ca²⁺ levels and contraction/relaxation, this measurement is imperative in underpinning the mechanisms mediating cardiac excitation-contraction coupling in healthy and diseased hearts.