Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Monitoring Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Homeostasis Using a Gaussia Luciferase SERCaMP
08:41

Monitoring Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Homeostasis Using a Gaussia Luciferase SERCaMP

Published on: September 6, 2015

13.8K

Altered Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis and Arrhythmogenesis in the Aged Heart

Shanna Hamilton1,2, Dmitry Terentyev3,4

  • 1Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. shanna.hamilton@osumc.edu.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|May 17, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Aging hearts show reduced function and increased arrhythmia risk due to altered calcium handling. This review explores how changes in ryanodine receptors (RyR2) and SERCa2a contribute to cardiac dysfunction in older adults.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Gerontology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cardiac aging is characterized by impaired sympathetic response, reduced contractility, and higher arrhythmia risk.
  • Age-related comorbidities like hypertension and atherosclerosis exacerbate cardiac dysfunction, leading to conditions such as atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
  • Cellular mechanisms, including mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired excitation-contraction coupling, and disrupted calcium homeostasis, underpin age-related cardiac electrical and contractile abnormalities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of intracellular calcium cycling in cardiac arrhythmogenesis during aging.
  • To examine how age-associated alterations in calcium-handling proteins, specifically ryanodine receptors (RyR2) and SERCa2a, contribute to cardiac dysfunction.
  • To highlight the impact of post-translational modifications on RyR2 and SERCa2a activity in the aged heart.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiac aging.
  • Analysis of studies investigating calcium cycling proteins (RyR2, SERCa2a) in the context of aging and arrhythmias.
  • Synthesis of information on post-translational modifications and their effects on calcium handling proteins.

Main Results:

  • Aging disrupts the delicate balance of intracellular calcium (Ca2+) release and sequestration, primarily involving ryanodine receptors (RyR2) and SERCa2a.
  • Aberrant Ca2+ cycling, influenced by changes in protein expression, accessory proteins, and post-translational modifications, is a key contributor to arrhythmogenesis in the aging heart.
  • Dysregulation of RyR2 and SERCa2a function directly impacts cardiac contractility and electrical stability.

Conclusions:

  • Altered intracellular calcium cycling via RyR2 and SERCa2a is a critical factor in the development of arrhythmias in the aged heart.
  • Understanding these age-dependent changes in calcium handling is essential for developing targeted therapies to prevent sudden cardiac death in the elderly.
  • Further research into the post-translational regulation of RyR2 and SERCa2a may reveal novel therapeutic strategies for age-related cardiac dysfunction.

Keywords:
ageingcalcium signalingcardiac arrhythmiaryanodine receptorsarco/endoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase

More Related Videos

Optical Mapping of Action Potentials and Calcium Transients in the Mouse Heart08:13

Optical Mapping of Action Potentials and Calcium Transients in the Mouse Heart

Published on: September 13, 2011

28.1K
Impact of Intracardiac Neurons on Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmogenesis in an Ex Vivo Langendorff System06:40

Impact of Intracardiac Neurons on Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmogenesis in an Ex Vivo Langendorff System

Published on: May 22, 2018

11.2K

Related Concept Videos

Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis01:21

Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis

Calcium is not only the most abundant mineral in bone but also the most abundant mineral in the human body. Calcium ions are needed for bone mineralization, tooth health, heart rate regulation and strength of contraction, blood coagulation, the contraction of smooth and skeletal muscle cells, and the regulation of nerve impulse conduction. The average calcium level in the blood is about 10 mg/dL. When the body cannot maintain this level, a person will experience hypo or hypercalcemia.
5.9K
What is Homeostasis?01:16

What is Homeostasis?

Maintaining homeostasis requires that the body continuously maintain its internal conditions. Each physiological condition has a particular set point, from body temperature to blood pressure to levels of certain nutrients. A set point is the physiological value around which the normal range fluctuates. A normal range is a restricted set of values that is optimally healthful and stable. For example, the set point for normal human body temperature is approximately 37°C (98.6°F).
53.1K
pH Homeostasis01:31

pH Homeostasis

Acid-base homeostasis is essential for maintaining normal physiological activities in humans. The pH of various body fluids is strictly regulated because it is critical for the optimal activity of enzymes involved in metabolic reactions. Enzymes are basically proteins, so, any significant change in pH can affect their structure and activity. In humans, pH is regulated using three primary mechanisms— chemical buffer systems, respiratory regulation, and renal regulation.
Respiratory...
18.3K
Alterations in Respiration II01:30

Alterations in Respiration II

There are numerous types of normal and abnormal respiration. Based on ventilatory movements, breathing patterns are classified as regular, deep, or shallow. Examples include Biot's breathing, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, Kussmaul's breathing, hyperventilation, and hypoventilation. Each pattern is clinically significant and aids in evaluating patients.
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
1.7K
Intracellular Signaling Cascades01:24

Intracellular Signaling Cascades

Once a ligand binds to a receptor, the signal is transmitted through the membrane and into the cytoplasm. The continuation of a signal in this manner is called signal transduction. Signal transduction only occurs with cell-surface receptors, which cannot interact with most components of the cell, such as DNA. Only internal receptors can interact directly with DNA in the nucleus to initiate protein synthesis. When a ligand binds to its receptor, conformational changes occur that affect the...
53.4K
Altered States of Awareness01:06

Altered States of Awareness

Altered states of consciousness represent significant deviations from one's normal mental state. These deviations can range from subtle changes in awareness to profound transformations in perception, thought processes, and sensory experiences. Altered states of consciousness can be triggered by various factors, including drug use, meditation, hypnosis, illness, or even intense fatigue.
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain...
1.0K