Inotropic effect of dopamine on rat heart during postnatal ontogeny.

We studied the effect of dopamine in concentrations of 10(-9), 10(-8), 10(-7), 10(-6), and 10(-5) M on contraction strength of isolated myocardial strips from the right atrium and right ventricle of rats aging 21, 42, 56, and 100 days. Dopamine in a concentration of 10(-9) M had a positive inotropic effect in rats of various ages. Increasing the concentration of dopamine to 10(-7)-10(-5) M was accompanied by a negative inotropic effect on the heart.