title: Role of sodium channels in propagation in heart muscle: how subtle genetic alterations result in major arrhythmic disorders.
abstract: Sodium channels play a crucial role in initiation, propagation, and maintenance of cardiac excitation throughout the heart. Indeed, dysfunctional sodium channels have been shown to be responsible for several inherited cardiac electrical disorders, such as Long QT and Brugada syndromes (BrS), potentially leading to fatal arrhythmic events. Genetic approaches and functional experiments using heterologous systems have enabled the characterization of the molecular determinants involved in these disorders and their consequences on ion channel function. The improved understanding of the mechanisms leading to these cardiac arrhythmic events represents a first step in the development of therapeutic treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA. ct2068@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Terrenoire
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simhaee
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kass
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000235:genetics*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000235:genetics; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000235:genetics*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D015222:Sodium Channels