@article {2121, title = {Vortex shedding as a precursor of turbulent electrical activity in cardiac muscle.}, journal = {Biophys J}, volume = {70}, year = {1996}, month = {03/1996}, pages = {1105-11}, abstract = {

In cardiac tissue, during partial blockade of the membrane sodium channels, or at high frequencies of excitation, inexcitable obstacles with sharp edges may destabilize the propagation of electrical excitation waves, causing the formation of self-sustained vortices and turbulent cardiac electrical activity. The formation of such vortices, which visually resembles vortex shedding in hydrodynamic turbulent flows, was observed in sheep epicardial tissue using voltage-sensitive dyes in combination with video-imaging techniques. Vortex shedding is a potential mechanism leading to the spontaneous initiation of uncontrolled high-frequency excitation of the heart.

}, keywords = {Animals, Biophysical Phenomena, Biophysics, Cell Membrane, Computer Simulation, Electric Stimulation, Electrochemistry, Electrophysiology, Heart, Models, Cardiovascular, Myocardial Contraction, Myocardium, Sheep, Sodium Channels}, issn = {0006-3495}, doi = {10.1016/S0006-3495(96)79691-1}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8785270}, author = {Cabo, C and Pertsov, A V and Davidenko, J M and Baxter, Bill and Gray, R A and Jalife, J} } @article {2128, title = {Stationary and drifting spiral waves of excitation in isolated cardiac muscle.}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {355}, year = {1992}, month = {01/1992}, pages = {349-51}, abstract = {

Excitable media can support spiral waves rotating around an organizing centre. Spiral waves have been discovered in different types of autocatalytic chemical reactions and in biological systems. The so-called {\textquoteright}re-entrant excitation{\textquoteright} of myocardial cells, causing the most dangerous cardiac arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, could be the result of spiral waves. Here we use a potentiometric dye in combination with CCD (charge-coupled device) imaging technology to demonstrate spiral waves in the heart muscle. The spirals were elongated and the rotation period, Ts, was about 180 ms (3-5 times faster than normal heart rate). In most episodes, the spiral was anchored to small arteries or bands of connective tissue, and gave rise to stationary rotations. In some cases, the core drifted away from its site of origin and dissipated at a tissue border. Drift was associated with a Doppler shift in the local excitation period, T, with T ahead of the core being about 20\% shorter than T behind the core.

}, keywords = {Animals, Dogs, Heart, Mathematics, Membrane Potentials, Models, Biological, Myocardial Contraction, Sheep}, issn = {0028-0836}, doi = {10.1038/355349a0}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1731248}, author = {Davidenko, J M and Pertsov, A V and Salomonsz, R and Baxter, Bill and Jalife, J} }