Myofibrillar responsiveness to cAMP, PKA, and caffeine in an animal model of heart failure.

We investigated whether an alteration of myofilament calcium responsiveness and contractile activation may in part contribute to heart failure. A control group of Broad Breasted White turkey poults was given regular feed without additive, whereas the experimental group was given the control ration with 700 ppm of furazolidone at 1 week of age for 3 weeks (DCM). At 4 weeks of age, left ventricular trabeculae carneae were isolated from hearts and calcium-force relationships studied.