Ca2+ 'sparks' and waves in intact ventricular muscle resolved by confocal imaging

• Published in: Circulation research Vol. 81; no. 4; pp. 462 - 469
• Main Authors: WIER, W. G, TER KEURS, H. E. D. J, MARBAN, E, WEI DONG GAO, BALKE, C. W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott 01.10.1997; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Aniline Compounds; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium - metabolism; Fluorescent Dyes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart; Heart Ventricles; Microscopy, Confocal; Myocardial Contraction; Myocardium - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Inbred BN; Ventricular Function; Vertebrates: cardiovascular system; Xanthenes; Heart; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Wave propagation; Calcium; Excitation contraction coupling; Rat; Rodentia; Confocal microscopy; Heart ventricle; Circulatory system; Ionic current

The [Ca2+]i transient in heart is now thought to involve the recruitment and summation of discrete and independent "units" of Ca2+ release (Ca2+ "sparks") from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, each of which is controlled locally by single coassociated L-type Ca2+ channels ("local...