Diverse cell morphology and intracellular calcium dynamics in pulmonary vein cardiomyocytes

Heart Vessels. 2011 Jan;26(1):101-10. doi: 10.1007/s00380-010-0035-y. Epub 2010 Oct 27.

Abstract

Pulmonary veins (PVs) contain cardiomyocytes with a complex cellular morphology and high arrhythmogenesis. Ca(2+) regulation and Ca(2+) sparks play a pivotal role in the electrical activity of cardiomyocytes. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the cell morphology can determine the PV electrical activity and Ca(2+) homeostasis. Through confocal microscopy with fluo-3 Ca(2+) fluorescence, Ca(2+) sparks and Ca(2+) transients were evaluated in isolated single rabbit left atria (LA) and PV cardiomyocytes according to the cell morphology (rod, rod-spindle and spindle/bifurcated). Twenty-two (20%) rod, 49 (43%) rod-spindle and 41 (37%) spindle/bifurcated cardiomyocytes were identified in the LA (n = 29) and PV (n = 83) cardiomyocytes. The PV cardiomyocytes with pacemaker activity had a higher incidence of spindle/bifurcated morphology than LA and PV cardiomyocytes without pacemaker activity. As compared to those in the rod or rod-spindle cardiomyocytes, spindle/bifurcated cardiomyocytes had a larger Ca(2+) transient amplitude and higher frequency of the Ca(2+) sparks with larger amplitude and longer duration. In contrast, rod-spindle and rod cardiomyocytes had similar Ca(2+) transients and Ca(2+) sparks. The cell length correlated well with the amplitude of the Ca(2+) transient and Ca(2+) spark duration with a linear regression. In conclusion, cell morphology and cell length play a potential role in the Ca(2+) homeostasis and Ca(2+) spark. The large Ca(2+) transients and high frequency of Ca(2+) sparks in spindle/bifurcated cardiomyocytes may cause a high arrhythmogenesis in the PV cardiomyocytes with pacemaker activity.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Biological Clocks*
  • Calcium Signaling*
  • Cell Shape*
  • Heart Atria / cytology
  • Heart Atria / metabolism
  • Heart Rate*
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism*
  • Pulmonary Veins / cytology
  • Pulmonary Veins / metabolism*
  • Rabbits
  • Time Factors