Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and Remodeling

Spontaneous beating of the sinoatrial node (SAN), the primary pacemaker of the heart, is initiated, sustained, and regulated by a complex system that integrates ion channels and transporters on the cell membrane surface (often referred to as “membrane clock”) with subcellular calcium handling machin...

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Main Authors: Di Lang, Alexey V. Glukhov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Physiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.01686/full
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author Di Lang
Alexey V. Glukhov
author_facet Di Lang
Alexey V. Glukhov
author_sort Di Lang
collection DOAJ
description Spontaneous beating of the sinoatrial node (SAN), the primary pacemaker of the heart, is initiated, sustained, and regulated by a complex system that integrates ion channels and transporters on the cell membrane surface (often referred to as “membrane clock”) with subcellular calcium handling machinery (by parity of reasoning referred to as an intracellular “Ca2+ clock”). Stable, rhythmic beating of the SAN is ensured by a rigorous synchronization between these two clocks highlighted in the coupled-clock system concept of SAN timekeeping. The emerging results demonstrate that such synchronization of the complex pacemaking machinery at the cellular level depends on tightly regulated spatiotemporal signals which are restricted to precise sub-cellular microdomains and associated with discrete clusters of different ion channels, transporters, and regulatory receptors. It has recently become evident that within the microdomains, various proteins form an interacting network and work together as a part of a macromolecular signaling complex. These protein–protein interactions are tightly controlled and regulated by a variety of neurohormonal signaling pathways and the diversity of cellular responses achieved with a limited pool of second messengers is made possible through the organization of essential signal components in particular microdomains. In this review, we highlight the emerging understanding of the functionality of distinct subcellular microdomains in SAN myocytes and their functional role in the accumulation and neurohormonal regulation of proteins involved in cardiac pacemaking. We also demonstrate how changes in scaffolding proteins may lead to microdomain-targeted remodeling and regulation of pacemaker proteins contributing to SAN dysfunction.
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spelling doaj.art-0eb426f0ed1f4941b7fb1efd16983d662022-12-22T02:56:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2018-11-01910.3389/fphys.2018.01686417136Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and RemodelingDi LangAlexey V. GlukhovSpontaneous beating of the sinoatrial node (SAN), the primary pacemaker of the heart, is initiated, sustained, and regulated by a complex system that integrates ion channels and transporters on the cell membrane surface (often referred to as “membrane clock”) with subcellular calcium handling machinery (by parity of reasoning referred to as an intracellular “Ca2+ clock”). Stable, rhythmic beating of the SAN is ensured by a rigorous synchronization between these two clocks highlighted in the coupled-clock system concept of SAN timekeeping. The emerging results demonstrate that such synchronization of the complex pacemaking machinery at the cellular level depends on tightly regulated spatiotemporal signals which are restricted to precise sub-cellular microdomains and associated with discrete clusters of different ion channels, transporters, and regulatory receptors. It has recently become evident that within the microdomains, various proteins form an interacting network and work together as a part of a macromolecular signaling complex. These protein–protein interactions are tightly controlled and regulated by a variety of neurohormonal signaling pathways and the diversity of cellular responses achieved with a limited pool of second messengers is made possible through the organization of essential signal components in particular microdomains. In this review, we highlight the emerging understanding of the functionality of distinct subcellular microdomains in SAN myocytes and their functional role in the accumulation and neurohormonal regulation of proteins involved in cardiac pacemaking. We also demonstrate how changes in scaffolding proteins may lead to microdomain-targeted remodeling and regulation of pacemaker proteins contributing to SAN dysfunction.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.01686/fullsinoatrial nodepacemakermicrodomainion channelremodelingsignaling complex
spellingShingle Di Lang
Alexey V. Glukhov
Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and Remodeling
Frontiers in Physiology
sinoatrial node
pacemaker
microdomain
ion channel
remodeling
signaling complex
title Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and Remodeling
title_full Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and Remodeling
title_fullStr Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and Remodeling
title_full_unstemmed Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and Remodeling
title_short Functional Microdomains in Heart’s Pacemaker: A Step Beyond Classical Electrophysiology and Remodeling
title_sort functional microdomains in heart s pacemaker a step beyond classical electrophysiology and remodeling
topic sinoatrial node
pacemaker
microdomain
ion channel
remodeling
signaling complex
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.01686/full
work_keys_str_mv AT dilang functionalmicrodomainsinheartspacemakerastepbeyondclassicalelectrophysiologyandremodeling
AT alexeyvglukhov functionalmicrodomainsinheartspacemakerastepbeyondclassicalelectrophysiologyandremodeling