From genes and molecules to organs and organisms: Heart

Y. Rudy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mechanical contraction of the heart and its blood-pumping action are activated and synchronized by a wave of electrical excitation. Propagation of the excitation wave involves action potential (AP) generation by cardiac cells and its conduction in the multicellular tissue. AP generation is accomplished through complex, nonlinear interactions between membrane ion channels, transmembrane voltage, and the dynamically changing ionic milieu of the cell. AP propagation is achieved by flow of electrical charge from cell-to-cell through intercellular gap junctions. As described in this chapter, the propagation process involves strong interactions within and across scales between the molecular structure and function of ion channels, the properties of gap junctions, the subcellular organization of the cell, and the tissue architecture. At the whole-heart scale, normal excitation is generated in the right atrium by the sino-atrial (SA) node and transmitted to the ventricles through the atrio-ventricular (AV) node. It then spreads rapidly via the specialized conduction (Purkinje) system to establish broad excitation wavefronts that propagate synchroneously from endocardium to epicardium in both ventricles. Abnormal electrical activity can originate at any scale of this system, possibly leading to cardiac rhythm irregularities that could be fatal (cardiac arrhythmias are one of the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality in the human population).

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationComprehensive Biophysics
PublisherElsevier Inc.
Pages268-327
Number of pages60
Volume9
ISBN (Print)9780080957180
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012

Keywords

  • Action potential
  • Cardiac arrhythmias
  • Cardiac electrophysiology
  • Conduction
  • Electrocardiography
  • Ion channels

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