Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Simultaneous Electrical and Mechanical Stimulation to Enhance Cells' Cardiomyogenic Potential
Published on: January 18, 2019
Cellular electrophysiological aspects of myocardial protection
A Mugelli1, E Cerbai, M Barbieri
1Department of Pharmacology, University of Firenze, Italy.
Abstract:
Oxygen radicals (OR) generated at the time of reflow of the ischaemic myocardium may cause 'reperfusion injury'. To protect myocardium from this injury, it is important to understand how OR cause their deleterious effects on myocytes. Here we describe the basic electrophysiological alterations caused by OR in patch-clamped ventricular myocytes isolated from the rat heart. Oxygen radicals generated by dihydroxyfumarate (DHF) caused a lengthening of action potential duration (APD) and the appearance of arrhythmogenic alterations such as early and delayed afterdepolarizations. Prolongation of APD was accompanied by a reduction in calcium and potassium currents. When intracellular calcium levels were kept constantly low by 500 microM EGTA in the pipette solution, the effects of DHF on action potential duration and the occurrence of early afterdepolarizations were largely prevented. It is concluded that exposure to OR may induce electrophysiological alterations in isolated myocytes. They are related to changes in specific ionic currents and in levels of intracellular calcium.
More Related Videos
08:22In vitro Assessment of Myocardial Protection following Hypothermia-Preconditioning in a Human Cardiac Myocytes Model
Published on: October 27, 2020
10:41Laser-Induced Action Potential-Like Measurements of Cardiomyocytes on Microelectrode Arrays for Increased Predictivity of Safety Pharmacology
Published on: September 13, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
Cardiac Action Potential
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials
Myocarditis I: Introduction