Functional Heterogeneity of Cell Populations Increases Robustness of Pacemaker Function in a Numerical Model of the Sinoatrial Node Tissue.

ABSTRACT: Each heartbeat is initiated by specialized pacemaker cells operating within the sinoatrial node (SAN). While individual cells within SAN tissue exhibit substantial heterogeneity of their electrophysiological parameters and Ca cycling, the role of this heterogeneity for cardiac pacemaker function remains mainly unknown. Here we investigated the problem numerically in a 25 × 25 square grid of connected coupled-clock Maltsev-Lakatta cell models. The tissue models were populated by cells with different degree of heterogeneity of the two key model parameters, maximum L-type Ca current conductance (g _CaL ) and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca pumping rate (P _up ). Our simulations showed that in the areas of P _up -g _<

SUBMITTER: Maltsev AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9091312 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature