Cardiac mechano-electric coupling: Acute effects of mechanical stimulation on heart rate and rhythm

T. Alexander Quinn, Peter Kohl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

114 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Quinn TA, Kohl P. Cardiac Mechano-Electric Coupling: Acute Effects of Mechanical Stimulation on Heart Rate and Rhythm. Physiol Rev 101: 37-92, 2021. First published May 7, 2020; doi: 10.1152/physrev.00036.2019.-The heart is vital for biological function in almost all chordates, including humans. It beats continually throughout our life, supplying the body with oxygen and nutrients while removing waste products. If it stops, so does life. The heartbeat involves precise coordination of the activity of billions of individual cells, as well as their swift and well-coordinated adaption to changes in physiological demand. Much of the vital control of cardiac function occurs at the level of individual cardiac muscle cells, including acute beat-by-beat feedback from the local mechanical environment to electrical activity (as opposed to longer term changes in gene expression and functional or structural remodeling). This process is known as mechano-electric coupling (MEC). In the current review, we present evidence for, and implications of, MEC in health and disease in human; summarize our understanding of MEC effects gained from whole animal, organ, tissue, and cell studies; identify potential molecular mediators of MEC responses; and demonstrate the power of computational modeling in developing a more comprehensive understanding of “what makes the heart tick.”

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)37-92
Number of pages56
JournalPhysiological Reviews
Volume101
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, American Physiological Society. All rights reserved.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Physiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Physiology (medical)

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

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