Calcium (Ca) is a universal intracellular second messenger. In muscle, Ca is best known for
its role in contractile activation. However, in recent years the critical role of Ca in other …

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as an intracellular Ca2+ store not only sets up cytosolic
Ca2+ signals, but, among other functions, also assembles and folds newly synthesized …

Optimal cardiac function depends on proper timing of excitation and contraction in various
regions of the heart, as well as on appropriate heart rate. This is accomplished via …

The calcium ion (Ca2+) is the simplest and most versatile intracellular messenger known.
The discovery of Ca2+ sparks and a related family of elementary Ca2+ signaling events has …

Rationale: The transverse tubule (T-tubule) system is the ultrastructural substrate for
excitation–contraction coupling in ventricular myocytes; T-tubule disorganization and loss …

Understanding relationships between heart failure and arrhythmias, important causes of
suffering and sudden death, remains an unmet goal for biomedical researchers and …

Heart muscle is characterized by a regular array of proteins and structures that form a
repeating functional unit identified as the sarcomere. This regular structure enables tight …

Matrine is an alkaloid extracted from traditional Chinese herbs including Sophora
flavescentis, Sophora alopecuroides, Sophora root, etc. It has the dual advantages of …

Ventricular tachycardia in nonischemic heart failure (HF) initiates by a nonreentrant
mechanism that appears to be due to triggered activity primarily from delayed …

Abstract Calcium (Ca2+) is the central second messenger in the translation of electrical
signals into mechanical activity of the heart. This highly coordinated process, termed …