Embedded Files
Atypical collective oscillatory activity in cardiac tissue uncovered by optogenetics
Article Link
Under Review (BioRxiv)
Authors
Alexander S. Teplenin
Nina N. Kudryashova
Rupamanjari Majumder
Antoine A.F. de Vries
Alexander V. Panfilov
Daniël A. Pijnappels*
Tim De Coster*
* = equal authorship
Abstract
Many biological processes emerge as frequency-dependent responses to trains of external stimuli. Heart rhythm disturbances, i.e. cardiac arrhythmias, are important examples as they are often triggered by specific patterns of preceding stimuli. In this study, we investigated how ectopic arrhythmias can be induced by external stimuli in cardiac tissue containing a localised area of depolarisation. Using optogenetic in vitro experiments and in silico modelling, we systematically explored the dynamics of these arrhythmias, which are characterized by local oscillatory activity, by gradually altering the degree of depolarization in a predefined region. Our findings reveal a bi-stable system, in which transitions between oscillatory ectopic activity and a quiescent state can be precisely controlled, i.e. by adjusting the number and frequency of propagating waves through the depolarized area oscillations could be turned on or off. These frequency-dependent responses arise from collective mechanisms involving stable, non-self-oscillatory cells, contrasting with the typical role of self-oscillations in individual units within biophysical systems. To further generalize these findings, we demonstrated similar frequency selectivity and bi-stability in a simplified reaction-diffusion model. This suggests that complex ionic cell dynamics are not required to reproduce these effects; rather, simpler non-linear systems can replicate similar behaviour, potentially extending beyond the cardiac context.
Journal info
Article type: Research Article
Impact factor: no longer indexed
ISSN: 2050-084X
eLife is committed to creating a future where a diverse, global community of researchers shares open results for the benefit of all.
From the research they publish, to the tools they build, to the people they work with, they’ve earned a reputation for quality, integrity and the flexibility to bring about real change.
They're committed to a "publish, review, curate" model for publishing and plan to achieve this transition by:
Peer reviewing preprints in the life sciences and medicine
Building technology to support this model that is open-source, readily adaptable and addresses community needs
Working with scientists from around the world to improve research culture
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse