Species differences in localization of cardiac cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity: A cytochemical study

The localization of the membrane-bound cyclic 3,5-AMP phosphodiesterasein cardiac tissues of both, rat and dog was studied by cytochemical method.40 µm thick slices from glutaraldehyde fixed heart tissue wereincubated in the medium with cAMP as a substrate and Pb ions as a capturemetal of the reaction product. The cAMP-PDE activity in the rat ventriclewas only shown positive on the sarcolemma. Whereas, in canine ventriculartissue the cAMP-PDE activity in cardiomyocytes was shown on the sarcolemma,on the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum and on subsarcolemmal cisternae.The results confirm differences in the localization of cAMP-PDE in dog andrat heart.