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Related Experiment Videos

Pacemaker currents in chick embryonic heart cells change with development

A Shrier, J R Clay

    Nature
    |February 14, 1980
    PubMed
    Summary

    Chick embryo heart cells show reduced spontaneous beating as they develop. This decrease in automaticity is linked to a decline in specific membrane pacemaker currents in ventricular cells.

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    Area of Science:

    • Developmental biology
    • Cardiovascular physiology
    • Cellular electrophysiology

    Background:

    • The embryonic chick heart begins beating early in development, with pacemaker activity originating in the sinoatrial region.
    • Both atrial and ventricular cells exhibit spontaneous beating initially, but this intrinsic activity declines significantly before hatching.
    • Understanding the electrophysiological basis of this developmental decline in automaticity is crucial for cardiovascular research.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the changes in automaticity of embryonic chick cardiac ventricle cells.
    • To measure and characterize membrane pacemaker currents in developing chick ventricular cells.
    • To correlate changes in pacemaker currents with the observed decrease in spontaneous cellular activity.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized the voltage-clamp technique to measure membrane pacemaker currents.
    • Prepared aggregates of cardiac ventricle cells from chick embryos at 7, 12, and 17 days of incubation.
    • Assessed spontaneous beating rates of cell aggregates.

    Main Results:

    • A voltage and time-dependent conductance, indicative of pacemaker current, was identified in 7-day-old chick embryo ventricular cells.
    • This conductance was markedly reduced in cells from 17-day-old embryos.
    • The reduction in pacemaker current directly paralleled the decrease in spontaneous electrical activity observed in these developing cardiac cells.

    Conclusions:

    • The developmental decrease in automaticity of chick embryonic cardiac ventricle cells is associated with a reduction in specific membrane pacemaker currents.
    • These findings provide insights into the electrophysiological mechanisms underlying the maturation of cardiac automaticity.
    • The study highlights the dynamic changes in ion channel function during cardiac development.

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