Gap junctional and ephaptic coupling in cardiac electrical propagation: homocellular and heterocellular perspectives.

ABSTRACT: Electrical communication in the heart is crucial for maintaining normal cardiac function. Traditionally, gap junctional coupling between cardiomyocytes has been accepted as the primary mechanism governing electrical propagation in the heart. However, numerous studies have demonstrated that gap junctions are also present between different cell types in heterocellular structures and disruption of such gap junctional coupling can be associated with cardiac dysfunction. In addition to gap junctional coupling, ephaptic coupling has been proposed as another mechanism for electrical communication between cardiomyocytes. Reducing ephaptic coupling has been shown to have negative impacts on cardiac conduction. While the existence of ephaptic coupling between different types of cardiac cell is under

SUBMITTER: Wu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12673907 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature