Evaluation of electric field changes in the cleft between excitable cells

Sperelakis, Nick; Mann, J. Matthew

doi:10.1016/0022-5193(77)90114-x

Cited by 104 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Daniel has suggested that gap junctions are not required for propagation of slow waves from ICC to SMCs, and has suggested instead that coupling might occur through electrical field potentials in the narrow spaces between neighboring cells. 33 Evidence that this type of coupling can occur between cells comes mainly from theoretical studies [256][257][258][259][260] and there has been no verification of this concept in GI muscles. …”

Section: Gap Junctions Between Interstitial Cells Of Cajal and Smoothmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Significance of Interstitial Cells in Neurogastroenterology

Blair¹,

Rhee²,

Sanders³

et al. 2014

J Neurogastroenterol Motil

116

111

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Smooth muscle layers of the gastrointestinal tract consist of a heterogeneous population of cells that include enteric neurons, several classes of interstitial cells of mesenchymal origin, a variety of immune cells and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Over the last number of years the complexity of the interactions between these cell types has begun to emerge. For example, interstitial cells, consisting of both interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha-positive (PDGFRα + ) cells generate pacemaker activity throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and also transduce enteric motor nerve signals and mechanosensitivity to adjacent SMCs. ICC and PDGFRα + cells are electrically coupled to SMCs possibly via gap junctions forming a multicellular functional syncytium termed the SIP syncytium. Cells that make up the SIP syncytium are highly specialized containing unique receptors, ion channels and intracellular signaling pathways that regulate the excitability of GI muscles. The unique role of these cells in coordinating GI motility is evident by the altered motility patterns in animal models where interstitial cell networks are disrupted. Although considerable advances have been made in recent years on our understanding of the roles of these cells within the SIP syncytium, the full physiological functions of these cells and the consequences of their disruption in GI muscles have not been clearly defined. This review gives a synopsis of the history of interstitial cell discovery and highlights recent advances in structural, molecular expression and functional roles of these cells in the GI tract.

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Section: Gap Junctions Between Interstitial Cells Of Cajal and Smoothmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Significance of Interstitial Cells in Neurogastroenterology

Blair¹,

Rhee²,

Sanders³

et al. 2014

J Neurogastroenterol Motil

116

111

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“…For example, a gene-knockout study has shown that conduction is slowed but not eliminated in connexin43 deficient mice (7). One proposed mechanism that might explain this finding is known as ephaptic coupling or as the electric-field mechanism (8)(9)(10)(11)(12). In it, adjacent cells are coupled through a narrow cleft space at intercalated discs, which are located at the ends of cardiomyocytes.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive multiscale model for simulating cardiac conduction

Hand

Griffith

2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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We present a multiscale model and an adaptive numerical scheme for simulating cardiac action potential propagation along a linear strand of heart muscle cells. This model couples macroscale partial differential equations posed over the tissue to microscale equations posed over discrete cellular geometry. The microscopic equations are used only near action potential wave fronts, and the macroscopic equations are used everywhere else. We study the effects of gap-junctional and ephaptic coupling on conduction in the multiscale model and its fully macroscale and fully microscale analogues. Our simulations reveal that the adaptive multiscale model accurately reproduces the action potential wave forms and wave speeds of the fully microscale model. They also demonstrate that, at low gap-junctional conductivities, the accuracy of fully macroscale simulations is sensitive to numerical grid spacing. Moreover, adaptive multiscale simulations capture the effect of ephaptic coupling, whereas fully macroscale simulations do not. We propose two ways of generalizing our multiscale model to higher dimensions, and we argue that such generalizations may be necessary to obtain accurate three-dimensional simulations of cardiac conduction in certain pathophysiological parameter regimes.cardiac electrophysiology | gap junction | electric-field mechanism | mathematical model M athematical models and computer simulations of physiological systems promise to enhance understanding of biological processes and to aid development of medical treatments. One difficulty in making such simulations realistic is that biological systems are often multiscale. In cardiac electrophysiology, for example, ionic flow at the subcellular level ultimately causes excitation and contraction of muscle at the tissue level.

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“…Electrical field coupling (Sperelakis and Mann, 1977) or ephaptic coupling (Copene and Keener, 2008) refers to the initiation of an action potential in a non-activated downstream cell by the electrical field caused by an activated upstream cell. This kind of impulse propagation does not require cytoplasmic connections via gap junctions.…”

Section: Coupling Without Gap Junctionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a theoretical model, this was necessary for effective coupling (Sperelakis and Mann, 1977). However, at present it is unclear whether ephaptic coupling contributes to action potential propagation in normal tissue.…”

Section: Coupling Without Gap Junctionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remodeling of cardiac passive electrical properties and susceptibility to ventricular and atrial arrhythmias

2015

Frontiers Research Topics

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Evaluation of electric field changes in the cleft between excitable cells

Cited by 104 publications

References 39 publications

The Significance of Interstitial Cells in Neurogastroenterology

The Significance of Interstitial Cells in Neurogastroenterology

Adaptive multiscale model for simulating cardiac conduction

Remodeling of cardiac passive electrical properties and susceptibility to ventricular and atrial arrhythmias

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