A biological version of an artificial pacemaker? That's what certain researchers in New York are working on.
Richard Robinson and his colleagues at Columbia and Stony Brook Universities highlight the fact that the body's own natural pacemaker, called the sinoatrial (SA) node, is extremely vulnerable to damage during a heart attack, often leaving the patient with a weak, slow or unreliable heartbeat.
Slowing the Racing Heart
Circulation Research how an enzyme acts on the heart's pacemaker to slow the rapid beating
Circulation Research how an enzyme acts on the heart's pacemaker to slow the rapid beating
Even though a much better solution can be to use therapies to raise the heart rate biologically, according to the researchers, there are some major hurdles.
The research team point out that the way electrical signals are generated in the SA node - and hence the heart rate - are far from simple.
Self-assembling ?Organic Wires? Developed
pacemakers constructed of materials that so closely mimic human tissues that a patient’s body can’t discern the difference.
pacemakers constructed of materials that so closely mimic human tissues that a patient’s body can’t discern the difference.
Dr Robinson says that his study sheds light on the secrets of the HCN channels.
Advertisement
Pacemakers May Soon Run On Microbial Fuel Yeast Cells That Feed on Blood!
Scientists have created tiny microbial fuel cells by encapsulating yeast cells in a flexible capsule, which can generate power from a drop of human blood plasma, and might one day
Scientists have created tiny microbial fuel cells by encapsulating yeast cells in a flexible capsule, which can generate power from a drop of human blood plasma, and might one day
Using their new cellular model, the researchers genetically rewired two of the HCN channels.
Advertisement
Scientists Concerned Over Increasing Malfunction Of Heart Devices
Scientists in the US are worried over the increasing malfunction of heart devices, which they say were directly responsible for 61 deaths between 1990 and 2002.
Scientists in the US are worried over the increasing malfunction of heart devices, which they say were directly responsible for 61 deaths between 1990 and 2002.
Dr. Robinson believes that the valuable new computer and cellular models are ideal for testing potential new drugs to influence heart rate, and pave the way for new genetic biological pacemakers to be developed.
He says that the new developments "will facilitate the development of practical biological pacemakers by allowing more complete and rapid assessment of individual channel mutations through combined culture and simulation studies prior to full testing in animal models."
A research article on the study has been published in The Journal of Physiology.
Source-ANI
TAN
