Mathematical modeling of electrical activity of uterine muscle cells

• Published in: Medical & biological engineering & computing Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 665 - 675
• Main Authors: Rihana, Sandy, Terrien, Jeremy, Germain, Guy, Marque, Catherine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.06.2009; Springer-Verlag; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Action Potentials - physiology; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Calcium Channels - physiology; Cellular biology; Computer Applications; Computer Science; Experiments; Female; Human Physiology; Humans; Imaging; Ions; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Modeling and Simulation; Models, Biological; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - physiology; Myometrium - cytology; Myometrium - physiology; Original Article; Pacemakers; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Physiology; Potassium; Potassium Channels - physiology; Pregnancy; Propagation; Radiology; Rats; Smooth muscle; Studies; Action potential; Myometrial ionic currents; Voltage clamp; Electrophysiological model; Uterine excitability
• ISSN: 0140-0118; 1741-0444
• DOI: 10.1007/s11517-009-0433-4

The uterine electrical activity is an efficient parameter to study the uterine contractility. In order to understand the ionic mechanisms responsible for its generation, we aimed at building a mathematical model of the uterine cell electrical activity based upon the physiological mechanisms. First, based on the voltage clamp experiments found in the literature, we focus on the principal ionic channels and their cognate currents involved in the generation of this electrical activity. Second, we provide the methodology of formulations of uterine ionic currents derived from a wide range of electrophysiological data. The model is validated step by step by comparing simulated voltage-clamp results with the experimental ones. The model reproduces successfully the generation of single spikes or trains of action potentials that fit with the experimental data. It allows analyzing ionic channels implications. Likewise, the calcium-dependent conductance influences significantly the cellular oscillatory behavior.