Journal
FEBS LETTERS
Volume 588, Issue 8, Pages 1244-1248Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.01.026
Keywords
Perinexus; Gap junction; Connexin; Sodium channel; Na(v)1.5; Ephaptic; Intercalated disk; Conduction
Funding
- NHLBI NIH HHS [R01 HL102298] Funding Source: Medline
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Cardiac conduction is the process by which electrical excitation is communicated from cell to cell within the heart, triggering synchronous contraction of the myocardium. The role of conduction defects in precipitating life-threatening arrhythmias in various disease states has spurred scientific interest in the phenomenon. While the understanding of conduction has evolved greatly over the last century, the process has largely been thought to occur via movement of charge between cells via gap junctions. However, it has long been hypothesized that electrical coupling between cardiac myocytes could also occur ephaptically, without direct transfer of ions between cells. This review will focus on recent insights into cardiac myocyte intercalated disk ultrastructure and their implications for conduction research, particularly the ephaptic coupling hypothesis. Published by Elsevier B. V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
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