Title :
Modeling the functional role of SA node-atrial interdigitation
Author :
Winslow, Raimond L. ; Varghese, Anthony
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Biomed. Eng., Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD, USA
Abstract :
Recent immunohistochemical studies in which atrial and sino-atrial (SA) node tissue from the guinea-pig heart has been labeled differentially with fluorescent markers show that fine strands of atrial tissue penetrate into, and interdigitate with SA node cells in the primary pacemaker region. Computational models of the SA node-atrial network were implemented on the parallel CM-5 supercomputer and used to investigate the functional role of this interdigitation. Simulation results show that interdigitation of SA node and atrium reduces electrotonic loading effects of the atrium on the node, and improves reliability of conduction of the nodal pacemaker potential into the surrounding, highly coupled atrium.<>
Keywords :
biology computing; cardiology; digital simulation; neurophysiology; physiological models; atrial interdigitation; computational models; differentially-labeled tissue; electrotonic loading effects reduction; fluorescent markers; guinea-pig heart; highly coupled atrium; immunohistochemical studies; nodal pacemaker potential conduction reliability improvement; parallel CM-5 supercomputer; primary pacemaker region; sino-atrial node functional role modeling; Biomedical engineering; Computational modeling; Computer networks; Concurrent computing; Frequency; Heart; Immune system; Labeling; Microscopy; Pacemakers;
Conference_Titel :
Computers in Cardiology 1994
Conference_Location :
Bethesda, MD, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-8186-6570-X
DOI :
10.1109/CIC.1994.470102
