Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Determination of the Relative Cell Surface and Total Expression of Recombinant Ion Channels Using Flow Cytometry
11:32

Determination of the Relative Cell Surface and Total Expression of Recombinant Ion Channels Using Flow Cytometry

Published on: September 28, 2016

The interplay between dynamic regulation of ion-channel gating and trafficking in cardiac arrhythmogenesis

Stefan Meier1, Anna S Savchenko1, Paul G A Volders1

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University and Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

The Journal of Physiology
|June 22, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac arrhythmias are deadly, but understanding time-dependent ion channel changes is key. New research reveals how slow processes and modulators impact cardiac electrophysiology for better antiarrhythmic therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Molecular Cardiology
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Cardiac arrhythmias are a significant cause of death globally.
  • Current treatments are limited by an incomplete understanding of arrhythmia mechanisms.
  • Traditional focus on acute ion channel gating overlooks slower, time-dependent processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of time-dependent mechanisms in cardiac electrophysiology.
  • To explore how acute and long-term modulators affect cardiac ion channels.
  • To emphasize the importance of temporal dynamics in understanding and treating arrhythmias.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing evidence on cardiac ion channel regulation.
  • Analysis of modulatory factors influencing ion channel function across different timescales.
  • Synthesis of knowledge on the interplay between rapid gating and slower regulatory processes.

Main Results:

  • Slower dynamic processes like channel trafficking and transcriptional regulation are crucial.
  • Modulators (temperature, ions, pacing, drugs) influence ion channels (e.g., Nav1.5, Cav1.2, Kv channels) over minutes to days.
  • The duration of exposure to modulators can lead to opposing effects on ion currents.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiac excitability results from the interaction of fast gating and slow regulatory mechanisms.
  • Understanding these time-dependent interactions is vital for improving arrhythmia risk prediction.
  • Quantifying temporal dynamics is essential for developing effective antiarrhythmic therapies.

Keywords:
cardiac arrhythmiascardiac cellular electrophysiologydynamicsion‐channel traffickingtemporal regulation

More Related Videos

Recapitulation of an Ion Channel IV Curve Using Frequency Components10:14

Recapitulation of an Ion Channel IV Curve Using Frequency Components

Published on: February 8, 2011

Voltage-Dependent Potassium Current Recording on H9c2 Cardiomyocytes via the Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Technique08:11

Voltage-Dependent Potassium Current Recording on H9c2 Cardiomyocytes via the Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Technique

Published on: November 11, 2022

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.
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory organs,...
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 of...
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that include the...
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...