Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 2, 2026

Isolation of Human Atrial Myocytes for Simultaneous Measurements of Ca2+ Transients and Membrane Currents
10:53

Isolation of Human Atrial Myocytes for Simultaneous Measurements of Ca2+ Transients and Membrane Currents

Published on: July 3, 2013

21.2K

Calcium Handling and Arrhythmogenesis

Georgios C Bompotis, Loukas K Pappas1, Christos Angelidis

  • 1Cardiology Department and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Athens General Hospital "G. Gennimatas", Athens, Greece. lukepappas@hotmail.com.

Medicinal Chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))
|September 29, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Maintaining proper intracellular calcium balance is vital for heart function. Disruptions in calcium regulation can lead to heart rhythm disorders, including atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Intracellular calcium homeostasis is crucial for cardiac electric and mechanical functions.
  • Calcium regulates action potentials, myocardial contraction, and cardiac automaticity.
  • Dysregulation of intracellular calcium disrupts cardiac electrophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms linking intracellular calcium dysregulation to cardiac arrhythmias.
  • To explore genetic, molecular, and electrophysiological factors involved in calcium-related arrhythmogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of genetic, molecular, and electrophysiological studies.
  • Summary of mechanisms of intracellular calcium regulation in the heart.
  • Analysis of how calcium dysregulation leads to arrhythmias.

Main Results:

  • Intracellular calcium abnormalities disrupt cardiac electrophysiology.
  • Calcium dysregulation promotes atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.
  • Impaired cardiac automaticity and atrioventricular conduction are linked to calcium issues.

Conclusions:

  • Inherited and acquired intracellular calcium dysregulation are significant contributors to arrhythmogenesis.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is key to addressing cardiac rhythm disorders.
  • Targeting calcium regulation pathways may offer therapeutic strategies for arrhythmias.

More Related Videos

Isolation of High Quality Murine Atrial and Ventricular Myocytes for Simultaneous Measurements of Ca2+ Transients and L-Type Calcium Current06:22

Isolation of High Quality Murine Atrial and Ventricular Myocytes for Simultaneous Measurements of Ca2+ Transients and L-Type Calcium Current

Published on: November 3, 2020

4.0K
Assessment of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Reserve and Intracellular Diastolic Calcium Removal in Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes11:00

Assessment of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Reserve and Intracellular Diastolic Calcium Removal in Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes

Published on: September 18, 2017

10.7K

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias01:28

Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Arrhythmias are irregular heart rhythms occurring when the heart's electrical impulses become abnormal. These disturbances can lead to various symptoms, depending on their severity and the underlying cause. Some common factors contributing to arrhythmias include hypoxia, ischemia, electrolyte imbalances, excessive catecholamine exposure, drug toxicity, and muscle overstretching. Arrhythmias can be classified into two main types based on the rate and site of origin of abnormal heart rhythms.
2.7K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers01:20

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers

Class IV antiarrhythmic drugs, such as verapamil and diltiazem, block calcium channels. They primarily affect the heart, slowing the conduction in calcium-dependent tissues like the SA and AV nodes. These drugs manage reentrant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and reduce ventricular rate in atrial flutter/fibrillation.
Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, inhibits calcium movement across myocardial cell membranes and vascular smooth muscle. This results in the dilation of coronary and...
2.7K
Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm01:19

Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm

The normal cardiac rhythm is a synchronized electrical activity that facilitates the regular and coordinated contraction of the heart muscle. This process is essential for efficient blood circulation throughout the body. The fundamental elements involved in establishing and maintaining this rhythm include the unique electrical properties of cardiac muscle cells, the sinoatrial (SA) node's pacemaker function, the specialized conducting system, and the ionic mechanisms underlying each phase...
10.4K
Disturbances in Heart Rhythm01:29

Disturbances in Heart Rhythm

Arrhythmia or dysrhythmia refers to an abnormal heart rhythm caused by a defect in the heart's conduction system. It can cause the heart to beat irregularly, too quickly, or too slowly, leading to symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and fainting. Factors such as stress, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, certain drugs, congenital defects, diseases, and electrolyte abnormalities can trigger arrhythmias.
Arrhythmias are categorized by their speed, rhythm, and origin. A slow heart...
3.9K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers01:22

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat various types of arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms. These drugs block the sodium (Na+) channels in the cardiac cells, thereby affecting the movement of electrical impulses across the heart. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are divided into three subgroups: Class IA, Class IB, and Class IC, each with distinct mechanisms of action and effects on the heart.
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...
4.1K
Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration01:27

Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration

Calcium is an essential signaling molecule required for various cellular functions. Calcium pumps and ion channels on cell and organellar membranes, such as those on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulate calcium concentrations inside the cell. They remain closed, keeping the cytosolic calcium levels low at a resting state.
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
4.2K