Defective Oxidative Phosphorylation in Hereditary Myocardiopathy in the Syrian Hamster*

AUTHORS ' SYNOPSIS. Biochemical studies have been performed on the hearts of hamsters aflicted with a hereditary, fatal myocardiopathy and muscular dystrophy. In sarcosomes from myopathic hearts phosphorus uptake and phosphorusloxygen ratios were depressed, while oxygen uptake was normal. The enhanced rate of glycolysis in slices from myopathic hearts could be explained by changes in high energy phosphate compound metabolism. The relationship between the biochemical changes and the mechanical failure of ' the heart is discussed. The discovery that an inbred strain of Syrian ham-sters invariably develops a hereditary myocardio-pathy which terminates in congestive heart failur