Mechanics promotes coherence in heterogeneous active media

TL;DR

This paper investigates how mechanical interactions, specifically stretch-activated currents, facilitate synchronization in heterogeneous active media like cardiac tissue, revealing mechanisms for robust collective behavior.

Contribution

It demonstrates that mechanical deformation waves can enhance synchronization in heterogeneous cell ensembles, a novel insight into cardiac tissue coordination.

Findings

Stretch-activated currents promote global coherence.

Mechanical waves influence neighboring cell activity.

Heterogeneity affects synchronization patterns.

Abstract

Synchronization of activity among myocytes constituting vital organs, e.g., the heart, is crucial for physiological functions. Self-organized coordination in such heterogeneous ensemble of excitable and oscillatory cells is therefore of clinical importance. We show by varying the strength of intercellular coupling and the electrophysiological diversity, a wide range of collective behavior emerges including clusters of synchronized activity. Strikingly, stretch-activated currents allow waves of mechanical deformation to alter the activity of neighboring cells, promoting robust global coherence.