Oscillations and waves of intracellular CA2+ in cardiac-muscle-cells

Orchard, C. H.; Mustafa, M. R.; White, E. (1995) Oscillations and waves of intracellular CA2+ in cardiac-muscle-cells. Chaos Solitons & Fractals, 5 (3-4). pp. 447-458. ISSN 0960-0779

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Abstract

When cardiac muscle cells become overloaded with Ca2+, spontaneous releases of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum can occur. Such spontaneous releases normally originate within a localized region of the cell and propagate as a wave throughout the cell. The amplitude and frequency of these Ca2+ releases increase with the degree of Ca2+ loading of the cell, and are abolished by interventions which inhibit sarcoplasmic reticulum function. It is still not clear whether these releases are triggered by a rise in the Ca2+ in the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum or by a rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+. Such releases may, however, by activating inward currents, depolarize the cell membrane and thus be arrhythmogenic; they may also, by decreasing the amount of Ca2+ within the sarcoplasmic reticulum, decrease the strength of a stimulated contraction.

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