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The Effects of Voltage-Dependent Gap Junction Conductance on Synchrony in the Sinoatrial Node

Student-Run Research Seminar

Speaker: Emily Meyer, UC Davis
Location: 2112 MSB
Start time: Thu, Feb 6 2020, 12:10PM

The sinoatrial node paces the heart by inducing electrical waves via small channel-like proteins called gap junctions that couple adjacent cells. Different gap junction types, expressed in different regions of the heart, vary in their dependence of conductance on transjunctional potential, raising the question of how voltage-dependence of conductance affects the synchronicity of action potential propagation. We address this question by using the theory of weakly coupled oscillators to investigate how synchrony in a system of sinoatrial node cells is impacted by voltage-dependent coupling. Our results provide insight into why different gap junctions are expressed throughout the heart, and how the characteristics of voltage-dependent gating influence the coordinated function of the sinoatrial node.