Exploring how electrical signals move through narrow spaces between adjacent heart cells

What is it about?

The contraction of the heart is initiated by an electrical wave traveling from heart cell to heart cell. When the wave reaches a cell, ion channels in the cell membrane open allowing positive ions to flow into the cell. The spread of the electrical signal from one cell to the next is primarily believed to occur through so-called gap junction channels, which offer a direct connection between the cells. However, researchers are investigating the possibility of an additional indirect connection between the cells, enabled by the spread of an electrical signal through narrow spaces between adjacent cells. In this study, we use a detailed nano-scale mathematical model called the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) model to investigate how the electrical potential and the ion concentrations change in narrow spaces between adjacent cells when ion channels in the membrane of one of the cells open. The results indicate that when ion channels open in the membrane of one cell, significant alterations can occur outside of a neighboring cell, potentially transferring an electrical signal to the neighboring cell without gap junction channels offering a direct connection between the cells.

Featured Image

Photo by Mark Basarab on Unsplash

Photo by Mark Basarab on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The pumping function of the heart relies on an electrical wave traveling from cell to cell at every heartbeat. Therefore, diseases causing disruptions to this wave can be life threatening, and a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the transfer of electrical signals from one heart cell to the next could be crucial for developing safe and efficient therapies for such disruptions.