title: Ion currents of cardiomyocytes in different regions of the Göttingen minipig heart.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Göttingen minipig is a promising model for pharmacological safety assessment and for translational research in cardiology. We have examined the main ion currents in cardiomyocytes of the minipig heart.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiac cells were isolated from different cardiac regions (endo-, mid- and epicardial left ventricle and right ventricle) from Göttingen minipigs and examined using the whole cell patch clamp technique combined with pharmacological interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inward rectifier (IK1), the delayed rectifier (IK), with the rapid and slow components, (IKr, IKs) and the L-type Ca2+channel (ICa,L) were identified in the different regions of the heart, whereas the Ca2+-independent transient outward current (Ito1) was observed in only a few cells. IK1was similar in the cardiac regions with a slightly lower value in the epicardial cells. IKswas smaller in epi- and endo-cardial regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The equivalents of the main human cardiac ion currents are present in the minipig cardiomyocytes with the exception of the Ca2+-independent Ito1. The study provides further evidence that the minipig is a valid model for investigating cardiovascular pharmacology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lund University, and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, v Eulers v 8, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arlock
authors.affiliation: H. Lundbeck A/S, DK-2500, Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mow
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lund University, and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Trygve
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
authors.affiliation: Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, v Eulers v 8, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arner
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Lund University, and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steen
authors.affiliation: H. Lundbeck A/S, DK-2500, Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: mylx@novonordisk.com.
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laursen
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D007473:Ion Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels
keywords: Cardiac electrophysiology; Delayed rectifier K(+) channel; Göttingen minipig; Heart; Inward rectifier K(+) channel; Ion channel; L-type Ca(2+) channel; Patch clamp; hERG