. Phase I and phase II of short-term mechanical restitution in perfused rat left ventricles. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 282: H1311-H1319, 2002. First published December 6, 2001 10.1152/ajpheart.00464.2001.-We examined the contributions of the Ca 2ϩ channels of the sarcolemma and of the sarcoplasmic reticulum to electromechanical restitution. Extrasystoles (F 1) were interpolated 40-600 ms following a steady-state beat (F 0) in perfused rat ventricles paced at 2 or 3 Hz. Plots of F 1/F0 versus the extrasystolic interval consisted of phase I, which occurred before relaxation of the steady-state beat, and phase II, which occurred later. Phase I exhibited a period of enhanced left ventricular pressure development that coincided with action potential prolongation. Phase I was eliminated by ϪBAY K 8644 (100 nM) and FPL 64176 (150 nM), augmented by 3 M thapsigargin plus 200 nM ryanodine and unaffected by KN-93 and KB-R7943. Phase II was accelerated by the Ca 2ϩ channel agonists and by isoproterenol but was eliminated by thapsigargin plus ryanodine. The results suggest that phase I of electromechanical restitution is caused by a transient L-type Ca 2ϩ current facilitation, whereas phase II represents the recovery of the ability of the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release Ca 2ϩ .L-type calcium channels; sarcoplasmic reticulum; ryanodine receptors; myocardium; calmodulin MECHANICAL RESTITUTION is the time-dependent recovery of the ability of the heart to contract following the previous beat. That is, a premature stimulus or extrasystole introduced soon after the relaxation of a steadystate beat produces an attenuated twitch, the amplitude of which depends on the duration of the extrasystolic interval (ESI) (36). As the interval between the relaxation of a steady-state beat and the extrasystole is increased, there is an exponential increase in the amplitude of the extrasystolic beat. In fact, as the interval is prolonged beyond that of the basic cycle length, the twitch amplitude continues to increase and becomes greater than that of the steadystate beat before reaching a plateau (36). In 1975, Bass (3) termed this monoexponential recovery of force or pressure development phase II of mechanical restitution. He noted that when extrasystoles are interpolated very early and before relaxation of the steady-state beat, there is a period of enhanced relative force development (phase I) that is accompanied by action potential prolongation (4). The phase I enhancement of force development declines with increasing extrasystolic intervals, reaching a minimum value or reversal point (3). This reversal point can be taken as the boundary between phase I and phase II, but there undoubtedly is functional overlap, with the process(es) responsible for phase II possibly beginning near the extrapolated value for T 0 . Mechanical restitution and other aspects of the myocardial strength-interval relation (1, 24, 33) may reflect 1) changes in the gating mode of the L-type Ca 2ϩ channels (dihydropyridine receptors, DHPRs) (29, 33); 2) changes...