Virtual sources associated with linear and curved strands of cardiac cells

Abstract

Transmembrane potential ( V m) responses in cardiac strands with different curvature were characterized during uniform electric-field stimulation with the use of modeling and experimental approaches. Linear and U-shaped strands (width 100–150 μm) were stained with voltage-sensitive dye. V m was measured by optical mapping across the width and at sites of beginning curvature. Field pulses were applied transverse to the strands during the action-potential plateau. For linear strands, V mcontained 1) a rapid passive component ( V m ar) nearly linear and symmetric across the width, 2) a slower hyperpolarizing component ( V m as) greater and faster on the anodal side, and 3) at high field strengths a delayed depolarizing component ( V m ad) greater on the anodal side. For U-shaped strands, V m at sites of beginning curvature also contained rapid and slow components ( V m br and V m bs, respectively) that included contributions from the linear strand response and from the fiber curvature. V m ar, V m br, and part of V m bs could be attributed to passive behavior that was modeled, and V m as, V m ad, and part of V m bs could be attributed to active membrane currents. Thus curved strands exhibit field responses separable into components with characteristic amplitude, spatial, and temporal signatures.