Sodium pump: Its importance to intercellular communication in heart fibres

Summary The effect of ouabain on the electrical coupling of canine Purkinje cells was investigated. It was found that the glycoside decreases cell communication through an increase in junctional resistance, what supports the view² that the sodium pump has an important role on the control of cell communication.This work was supported by Grant No. HL-10897 from the National Heart and Lung Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; from the P.R. Heart Association and from the General Research Support Grant.