title: Calcium Handling and Arrhythmogenesis.
abstract: Intracellular calcium homeostasis plays a fundamental role in the electric and mechanical function of the heart by modulating action potential pattern and duration, by linking cell membrane depolarization to myocardial contraction and by regulating cardiac automaticity. Abnormalities of intracellular calcium regulation disrupt the electrophysiological properties of the heart and create an arrhythmogenic milieu, which promotes atrial and ventricular arrhythmogenesis and impairs cardiac automaticity and atrioventricular conduction. In this brief review, we summarize the basic genetic, molecular and electrophysiological mechanisms linking inherited or acquired intracellular Ca(2+) dysregulation to arrhythmogenesis.
authors.forename: Georgios C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Bompotis
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Athens General Hospital "G. Gennimatas", Athens, Greece. lukepappas@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Loukas K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Pappas
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Angelidis
authors.forename: Charalampos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kossyvakis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannopoulos
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deftereos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D012508:Sarcolemma / Q000378:metabolism; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium