Calcium-sensitivity of the SR calcium release channel in failing and nonfailing human myocardium.

Background: Altered Ca2+ metabolism of the sarcoplasmic reticulum results in changes of the contractile behavior in failing human myocardium. The ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channel of the sarcoplasmic reticulum plays a key role in the intracellular Ca2+ handling in cardiac myocytes. Recently, we showed that the density of 3H-ryanodine binding sites which correspond to the SR Ca2+ release channel in human myocardial homogenates is unchanged in failing human myocardium.