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Generation of Murine Cardiac Pacemaker Cell Aggregates Based on ES-Cell-Programming in Combination with Myh6-Promoter-Selection
Published on: February 17, 2015
Store-operated Ca2+ entry and TRPC expression; possible roles in cardiac pacemaker tissue
1School of Medical Sciences (F13), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. ju@physio.usyd.edu.au
Store-operated calcium channels (SOCCs), potentially linked to TRPC proteins, may influence cardiac pacemaking. Evidence suggests SR calcium store depletion can trigger calcium entry, impacting pacemaker current and heart rate.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cell Physiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Store-operated calcium channels (SOCCs) regulate calcium influx in non-excitable cells upon store depletion.
- Cardiac pacemaking primarily involves voltage-dependent currents, but intracellular calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is increasingly recognized as important.
- Recent research suggests a link between SOCCs and the transient receptor potential (TRP) channel family.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review preliminary evidence for calcium entry via SOCCs in cardiac pacemaker tissue.
- To explore the potential role of SR calcium store depletion in modulating pacemaker activity.
- To assess the expression and function of TRPC channels in pacemaker cells.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating SOCCs and TRPC expression in cardiac pacemakers.
- Analysis of existing data on calcium handling and store depletion in pacemaker tissue.
- Assessment of evidence linking SOCC activity to pacemaker current.
Main Results:
- Preliminary evidence suggests the presence of SOCCs and TRPC channels in pacemaker tissue.
- SR calcium store depletion may trigger calcium influx, contributing to the pacemaker current.
- Modulation of calcium handling by hormones, drugs, ischemia, or stretch could affect SOCCs and thus pacemaker firing.
Conclusions:
- Calcium entry triggered by SR store depletion, potentially through SOCCs and TRPC channels, may contribute to cardiac pacemaking.
- SOCCs represent a potential target for understanding and modulating heart rate.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the role of SOCCs in cardiac electrophysiology.
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