title: Sophisticated architecture is required for the sinoatrial node to perform its normal pacemaker function.
abstract: The heart's pacemaker, the sinoatrial node, does not consist of a group of uniform sinoatrial node cells embedded in atrial muscle. Instead, it is a heterogeneous tissue with multiple cell types and a complex structure. Evidence suggests that from the periphery to the center of the sinoatrial node, there is a gradient in action potential shape, pacemaking, ionic current densities, connexin expression, Ca2+ handling, myofilament density, and cell size. This complexity may be necessary for the sinoatrial node to pacemake under diverse conditions, drive the more hyperpolarized atrial muscle, and resist proarrhythmic perturbations.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom. m.r.boyett@leeds.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Boyett
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dobrzynski
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Honjo
authors.forename: Itsuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kodama
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D003199:Computer Systems; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*