Fig. 2

Comparison of the effect of DEX pretreatment on CM beating rates. a The beating rate of CMs in group M and group D of the cocultured CMs and CFs at normal times and after hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). b After H/R, the rate of decline in the beating rate of CMs pretreated with DEX was significantly lower than that of the other groups of cells. Decrease rate of beating frequency = (beating rate at the normal time - beating rate after H/R)/ beating rate at the normal time. Group M: cocultured CMs and CFs were subjected to H/R as described above. Group D: cocultured CMs and CFs were treated with 1 μg/ml DEX two hours before H/R. bpm, beats per minute. ^*P < 0.05 vs. the M group; data are expressed as the means ± SD (n = 5) and analyzed by One-way ANOVA analysis of variance