Physiology, Anrep Effect

Excerpt

Gleb von Anrep, a Russian-born Egyptian physiologist, observed in the year 1912 the gradual partial recovery of left ventricular dilation following acute aortic constriction. Anrep effect deals with epicardial to endocardial redistribution of blood flow. Recovery from ischemia is the primary mechanism of the Anrep effect.

Developed Force is the force because of an increase in the troponin C sensitivity to the influx of calcium (L-type channel). When a cardiac muscle stretches, there is an expeditious rise in the developed force known as the Frank-Starling mechanism. After an initial rapid response to stretch, there is a slow (gradual) increase in the developed force, called slow flow response, over 10 to 15 minutes because of the rise in calcium-transient amplitude, called the Anrep effect.

A vast number of mechanisms are responsible for the rise in the calcium transient during the Anrep effect. A cardinal mechanism is the increased sarcolemmal calcium influx through the sodium-calcium exchanger operating in a reverse mode.

The prolongation of the action potential duration by cardiac myocyte stretch could favor reverse-mode sodium-calcium exchange and escalate calcium influx. A greater action potential duration will approve the reverse-mode sodium-calcium exchanger activity.