Electrophysiological properties of isolated ventricular myocytes

There is no doubt that major advances have been made in cardiac electrophysiology using single heart cells. Accurate analysis of rapid inward sodium current and the second inward current carried by calcium has resulted in a major re-examination of the steps involved in excitation-contraction coupling in the heart. Future work using glass microelectrodes, suction pipettes and patch pipettes will yield a vast amount of information highly relevant to mechanisms involved in the initiation of the heartbeat.