Ca²⁺ waves in the heart

Abstract

Ca(2+) waves were probably first observed in the early 1940s. Since then Ca(2+) waves have captured the attention of an eclectic mixture of mathematicians, neuroscientists, muscle physiologists, developmental biologists, and clinical cardiologists. This review discusses the current state of mathematical models of Ca(2+) waves, the normal physiological functions Ca(2+) waves might serve in cardiac cells, as well as how the spatial arrangement of Ca(2+) release channels shape Ca(2+) waves, and we introduce the idea of Ca(2+) phase waves that might provide a useful framework for understanding triggered arrhythmias.

Fig. 1

Schematic of CRUs in myocytes. The CRUs are aligned on the z-disk spaced L≈2μm apart. λ is the nearest neighbor distance between CRUs in the plane of the z-disk. λ ranges between ~0.4 and ~1 μm ([14,15,17]).

Fig. 2

Schematic of spatial distribution of Ca²⁺ handling molecules in chicken (c) and finch (f).

Fig. 3

Layers of RyR3, RyR2, and IP₃R1 in canine Purkinje cells. Redrawn from [71].