Calcium-Dependent Arrhythmogenic Foci Created by Weakly Coupled Myocytes in the Failing Heart.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Intercellular uncoupling and Ca²⁺ (Ca) mishandling can initiate triggered ventricular arrhythmias. Spontaneous Ca release activates inward current which depolarizes membrane potential (V_m) and can trigger action potentials in isolated myocytes. However, cell-cell coupling in intact hearts limits local depolarization and may protect hearts from this arrhythmogenic mechanism. Traditional optical mapping lacks the spatial resolution to assess coupling of individual myocytes.

Objective

We investigate local intercellular coupling in Ca-induced depolarization in intact hearts, using confocal microscopy to measure local V_m and intracellular [Ca] simultaneously.

Methods and results

We used isolated Langendorff-perfused hearts from co

SUBMITTER: Lang D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5722688 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature