Voltage-mediated mechanism for calcium wave synchronization and arrhythmogenesis in atrial tissue.

ABSTRACT: A wide range of atrial arrythmias are caused by molecular defects in proteins that regulate calcium (Ca) cycling. In many cases, these defects promote the propagation of subcellular Ca waves in the cell, which can perturb the voltage time course and induce dangerous perturbations of the action potential (AP). However, subcellular Ca waves occur randomly in cells and, therefore, electrical coupling between cells substantially decreases their effect on the AP. In this study, we present evidence that Ca waves in atrial tissue can synchronize in-phase owing to an order-disorder phase transition. In particular, we show that, below a critical pacing rate, Ca waves are desynchronized and therefore do not induce substantial AP fluctuations in tissue. However, above this critical pacing rate, Ca wa

SUBMITTER: Greene D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8822619 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature