Isolated single cardiac myocytes are becoming an increasingly popular experimental preparation. To date, however, the mechanical properties of these isolated adult mammalian cardiac myocyte preparations have not been thoroughly evaluated. The aims of this research were to 1) define the basic contractile properties of externally unloaded single feline ventriculocytes, 2) determine their response to standard inotropic stimuli, and 3) determine whether contractile properties vary as a function of cell size. Cell contractions were elicited by field stimulation (1 Hz) and recorded with the use of a photodiode array technique. In the 121 myocytes studied (2 mM Ca2+; 37 degrees C) the maximum extent of shortening averaged 7.5 +/- 0.2% resting cell length (L). The maximum rates of shortening and relengthening were 92 +/- 2.7 and 103 +/- 2.0% L/s, respectively. Elevating the extracellular Ca2+ and paired pulse stimulation increased the magnitude of twitch contractions as well as the rates of shortening and relengthening. The relationship between cell size and contractile performance was assessed in this research either by comparing the contractile properties of large and small myocytes or by plotting specific contractile parameters as a function of myocyte surface area. The results of this research support the idea that single feline ventricular myocytes retain normal contractile capabilities following isolation and respond to inotropic maneuvers in a similar fashion to that observed in multicellular preparations. In addition the present experiments showed that the contractile properties of the myocytes isolated from normal feline hearts are not cell size dependent.