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Persistence of pro-arrhythmic spatio-temporal calcium patterns in atrial myocytes: a computational study of ping waves

Thul, R�diger; Coombes, Stephen; Bootman, Martin D.

Persistence of pro-arrhythmic spatio-temporal calcium patterns in atrial myocytes: a computational study of ping waves Thumbnail


Authors

Martin D. Bootman



Abstract

Clusters of ryanodine receptors within atrial myocytes are confined to spatially separated layers. In many species, these layers are not juxtaposed by invaginations of the plasma membrane (transverse tubules; 'T-tubules'), so that calcium-induced-calcium signals rely on centripetal propagation rather than voltage-synchronized channel openings to invade the interior of the cell and trigger contraction. The combination of this specific cellular geometry and dynamics of calcium release can lead to novel autonomous spatio-temporal calcium waves, and in particular ping waves. These are waves of calcium release activity that spread as counter-rotating sectors of elevated calcium within a single layer of ryanodine receptors, and can seed further longitudinal calcium waves. Here we show, using a computational model, that these calcium waves can dominate the response of a cell to electrical pacing and hence are pro-arrhythmic. This highlights the importance of modeling internal cellular structures when investigating mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction such as atrial arrhythmia.

Citation

Thul, R., Coombes, S., & Bootman, M. D. (2012). Persistence of pro-arrhythmic spatio-temporal calcium patterns in atrial myocytes: a computational study of ping waves. Frontiers in Physiology, 3, Article 279. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00279

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 28, 2012
Online Publication Date Jul 20, 2012
Publication Date 2012-07
Deposit Date Dec 21, 2012
Publicly Available Date Dec 21, 2012
Journal Frontiers in Physiology
Electronic ISSN 1664-042X
Publisher Frontiers Media
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 3
Article Number 279
DOI https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00279
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1009415
Publisher URL http://www.frontiersin.org/Computational_Physiology_and_Medicine/10.3389/fphys.2012.00279/abstract
Additional Information This Document is Protected by copyright and was first published by Frontiers. All rights reserved. it is reproduced with permission.

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