Experimental and computational studies using rabbit models have been integral to developing the current understanding of cardiac mechano-electric and mechano-mechanical coupling.
This review highlights the utility of rabbit models in elucidating the mechanisms of cardiac mechano-electric and mechano-mechanical coupling, which are highly relevant to human cardiac physiology and arrhythmogenesis.
Cardiac auto-regulation involves integrated regulatory loops linking electrics and mechanics in the heart. Whereas mechanical activity is usually seen as 'the endpoint' of cardiac auto-regulation, it is important to appreciate that the heart would not function without feed-back from the mechanical environment to cardiac electrical (mechano-electric coupling, MEC) and mechanical (mechano-mechanical coupling, MMC) activity. MEC and MMC contribute to beat-by-beat adaption of cardiac output to physiological demand, and they are involved in various pathological settings, potentially aggravating cardiac dysfunction. Experimental and computational studies using rabbit as a model species have been integral to the development of our current understanding of MEC and MMC. In this paper we review this work, focusing on physiological and pathological implications for cardiac function.
Quinn et al. (2016) conducted a review in Cardiac mechano-electric and mechano-mechanical coupling. Experimental and computational studies using rabbit models have been integral to developing the current understanding of cardiac mechano-electric and mechano-mechanical coupling.