Modeling the Role of Gap Junction Transport Characteristics in the Action Potential Propagation

TL;DR

This paper extends the Cable Model to incorporate dynamic gap junction transport properties, demonstrating how these characteristics influence spiral wave behavior and potentially impact cardiac arrhythmias.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized model of gap junctions that accounts for recent experimental data and can be integrated with various excitable cell models.

Findings

Modulating gap junction transport can suppress or induce spiral wave meandering.

The model links gap junction dynamics to arrhythmogenic behavior.

Experimental data on junctional current informs the model modifications.

Abstract

We generalize the Cable Model to describe the transport characteristics of the gap junctions coupling adjacent cells in the heart muscle. Our model takes into account recent experimental information about the time dependence of the junctional current and modifies the connections between cells. It can be used with whatever excitable model is used to represent the cell. We show that by modulating the gap junction transport characteristics, it is possible to either suppress or produce meandering of spiral waves, a state associated with cardiac arrhythmia.