Comparison of respiration in rat, guinea pig and muskrat heart mitochondria

1. Subsarcolemmal and interfibrillar mitochondria were isolated from the hearts of the diving muskrat and non-diving guinea pig and rat. Respiration rates, respiratory control ratio (RCR) and phosphorous to oxygen (P:O) ratios determined. 2. There was no significant difference in these values among the three species or between mitochondrial populations. 3. Mitochondrial yield as measured by citrate synthase of whole heart homogenates was greatest in the rat, intermediate in the muskrat and lowest in the guinea pig. 4. Muskrat heart mitochondria do not differ from rat and guinea pig heart mitochondria in the ability to use pyruvate as a substrate. 5. Differences in heart mitochondrial function between diving and non-diving rodents were not found and thus do not appear to be adaptations for the hypoxia of diving.