Key result
Closed-loop-shaped cardiomyocyte network models showed consistent beating frequencies and field potential durations independent of loop length, differing from small clusters and open-line models.
Spatial arrangement and geometry of cardiomyocyte networks, particularly closed-loop formation, significantly influence their electrophysiological properties such as beating frequencies and field potential durations.
Informs stable in vitro cardiac model design; leaves open whether network geometry influences human arrhythmia mechanisms.
Re-entry of excitation in the heart is one of the abnormal phenomena that causes lethal arrhythmia and is thought to be induced by the looped structure of the excitation conduction pathway. To evaluate the geometrical pattern dependence of electrophysiological results, we fabricated three models of cardiomyocyte networks and compared their beating frequencies (BFs), amplitudes of a depolarization peak, and field potential durations (FPDs). The set of different closed-loop-shaped network models from 3 to 8 mm in length showed the same BFs, amplitudes, and FPDs independent of their loop lengths, whereas the BFs and FPDs of 60 µm small clusters, and the FPDs of the 2 mm open-line-shaped network model were different from those of a closed-loop-shaped network model. These results indicate that the mm order larger size of clusters might create lower BFs, and the closed-loop-shaped model may generate longer FPDs. They also suggest the importance of spatial arrangement control of the cardoimyocyte community for reproducible measurement of electrophysiological properties of cardiomyocytes, especially control of the closed-loop formation, which might change the waveforms of FPDs depending on the difference in the geometry and conduction pathway of the cell network.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Nomura et al. (2012) studied Arrhythmia (in vitro cardiomyocyte networks). Closed-loop-shaped cardiomyocyte network models vs. Small clusters and open-line-shaped network models was evaluated on Beating frequencies, amplitudes of a depolarization peak, and field potential durations. Closed-loop-shaped cardiomyocyte network models showed consistent beating frequencies and field potential durations independent of loop length, differing from small clusters and open-line models.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: