Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Analysis of Cardiac Contractile Dysfunction and Ca2+ Transients in Rodent Myocytes
07:32

Analysis of Cardiac Contractile Dysfunction and Ca2+ Transients in Rodent Myocytes

Published on: May 25, 2022

1.9K

Experimental assessment of a myocyte-based multiscale model of cardiac contractile dysfunction

Elena C Lascano1, Juan I Felice2, Sandra Wray1

  • 1Instituto de Medicina Translacional, Transplante y Bioingeniería, Universidad Favaloro-CONICET, Solís 453, Buenos Aires 1078, Argentina.

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|August 1, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Mathematical modeling of cardiac contractile dysfunction (CD) using a multiscale model accurately simulated halothane

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Computational Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cardiac contractile dysfunction (CD) is a complex syndrome with multifactorial causes, making it challenging to isolate underlying mechanisms.
  • Mathematical modeling offers a powerful approach to dissecting the intricate processes contributing to CD and quantifying their impact.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a myocyte-based multiscale model of the circulatory system to simulate acute cardiac contractile dysfunction.
  • To investigate the effects of halothane, a volatile anesthetic known to induce CD, on cardiac function at both cellular and systemic levels.

Main Methods:

  • A multiscale model was constructed, integrating a human myocyte model with a circulatory system model comprising resistances and capacitances.
  • The model incorporated known halothane-induced alterations in ionic currents (SERCA2a, Ito, INCX, ICaL), ryanodine receptor (RyR2) function, and myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity.
  • Simulated myocyte and circulatory system responses were compared with established experimental data.

Main Results:

  • The model successfully replicated halothane-induced changes in action potential duration and intracellular Ca2+ concentration at the myocyte level.
  • Simulations showed reductions in mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and regional wall thickening fraction, consistent with experimental findings in halothane-overdosed sheep.
  • The model's effective performance validates its ability to reproduce key physiological responses to anesthetic-induced cardiac dysfunction.

Conclusions:

  • The developed myocyte-based multiscale model accurately simulates acute cardiac contractile dysfunction induced by halothane.
  • This computational framework provides a valuable tool for studying the impact of various molecular targets on cardiac function and CD.
  • The model's predictive capability can aid in understanding CD mechanisms and potentially guide therapeutic strategies.

Keywords:
Cardiac contractile dysfunctionHemodynamicsMultiscale modelMyocyte contraction modelSheep experiments

More Related Videos

Simultaneous Isolation and Culture of Atrial Myocytes, Ventricular Myocytes, and Non-Myocytes from an Adult Mouse Heart11:53

Simultaneous Isolation and Culture of Atrial Myocytes, Ventricular Myocytes, and Non-Myocytes from an Adult Mouse Heart

Published on: June 14, 2020

8.2K
A Flow Cytometry-based Assay for Measuring Mitochondrial Membrane Potential in Cardiac Myocytes After Hypoxia/Reoxygenation07:14

A Flow Cytometry-based Assay for Measuring Mitochondrial Membrane Potential in Cardiac Myocytes After Hypoxia/Reoxygenation

Published on: July 13, 2018

15.2K

Related Concept Videos

The Contractile Ring02:15

The Contractile Ring

Contractile rings are composed of microfilaments and are responsible for separating the daughter cells during cytokinesis. Contractile ring assembly proceeds along with other cell cycle events; however, very few mechanistic details are known about the timing and coordination of the contractile rings with the cell cycle.
A small GTPase, RhoA, controls the function and assembly of the contractile ring. RhoA belongs to the Ras superfamily of proteins. The activation of formins by RhoA promotes...
7.3K
Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output01:22

Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output

Cardiac output (CO), the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute, is a parameter in cardiovascular physiology determined by stroke volume and heart rate. Stroke volume, the amount of blood pushed from one of the ventricles per heartbeat, is influenced by preload, afterload, and contractility.
Preload
Preload refers to the initial elongation of the cardiac myocytes before contraction and is related to the volume of blood filling the heart at the end of diastole, or end-diastolic volume. The...
3.4K
Cardiac Output I:Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output01:19

Cardiac Output I:Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output

Cardiac Output
Cardiac output (CO) refers to the total amount of blood ejected by one of the ventricles in liters per minute (L/min). In a resting adult, CO ranges from 5 to 6 L/min, adjusting according to the body's metabolic requirements.
Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output adapts to metabolic demands during stress, physical activity, or illness. The autonomic nervous system regulates heart rate via the sinoatrial node. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases heart...
2.7K
The Cardiac Cycle01:13

The Cardiac Cycle

The heart beats rhythmically in a sequence called the cardiac cycle—a rapid coordination of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole).
The Process
Electrical signals—sent from the sinoatrial (SA) node in the right atrial wall to the atrioventricular (AV) node between the right atrium and right ventricle—cause both atria to simultaneously contract. When the signal reaches the AV node, it pauses for approximately a tenth of a second, allowing the atria to contract and...
98.3K
Cardiac Cycle01:29

Cardiac Cycle

The cardiac cycle refers to the sequence of events that occur in the heart from the beginning of one heartbeat to the next. It's characterized by alternating periods of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) of the heart muscles.
During the cardiac cycle, blood flow through the heart is regulated entirely by changing pressure gradients. This sequence of events begins with the heart in a state of total relaxation, known as mid-to-late diastole, during which blood passively flows from...
13.0K
Experimental Determination of Chemical Formula02:37

Experimental Determination of Chemical Formula

The elemental makeup of a compound defines its chemical identity, and chemical formulas are the most concise way of representing this elemental makeup. When a compound’s formula is unknown, measuring the mass of its constituent elements is often the first step in determining the formula experimentally.
47.4K