Multiscale modeling in rodent ventricular myocytes.
There is a growing body of experimental evidence suggesting that the Ca(2+) signaling in ventricular myocytes is characterized by a high gradient near the cell membrane and a more uniform Ca(2+) distribution in the cell interior [1]--[7]. An important reason for this phenomenon might be that in these cells the t-tubular system forms a network of extracellular space, extending deep into the cell interior. This allows the electrical signal, that propagates rapidly along the cell membrane, to reach the vicinity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), where intracellular Ca(2+) required for myofilament activation is stored [1], [8]--[11]. Early studies of cardiac muscle showed that the t-tubules are found at intervals of about 2 lm along the longitudinal cell axis in close proximity to the Z-disks of the sarcomeres [12]. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that the t-tubular system has also longitudinal extensions [9]--[11], [13].
Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, 92093-0412, USA. amihaylo@bioeng.ucsd.edu
Shaoying
S
Lu
Anushka
A
Michailova
Jeffrey
J
Saucerman
Yuhui
Y
Cheng
Zeyun
Z
Yu
Timothy
T
Kaiser
Wilfred
W
Li
Randolph
R
Bank
Michael
M
Holst
J
J
McCammon
Takeharu
T
Hayashi
Masahiko
M
Hoshijima
Peter
P
Arzberger
Andrew
A
McCulloch
D000465:Algorithms; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000502:physiology*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012984:Software; D014966:Xanthenes / Q000378:metabolism
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D014966:Xanthenes; C059715:Fluo-3; D002118:Calcium