Innervation of Atrial Stumps in Calves Living with the TNS‐Brno II Artificial Heart

Abstract

The remnant stumps of the atria in six calves surviving with the artificial TNS-Brno II methacrylate heart for up to 5 months were examined by means of the Bodian silver-impregnating technique and by the formalin-induced fluorescence technique visualizing noradrenaline in monoaminergic nerve terminals. The degeneration of the nerve terminal system detected in animals surviving for 2 days and 1 week was followed by regeneration of the vegetative nerve system in four animals surviving for greater than 1 month. Moreover, thick myelinated nerves afferent in character were detected within the atrium of one animal surviving for 5 months.