Use of voltage sensitive dyes to investigate electrical defibrillation

An approach called voltage-sensitive-dye recording is introduced for the study of electrical defibrillation of the heart. Voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) are molecular probes which transduce cellular potential into an optical signal. Specifically, the optical signals produced by VSDs can be used to follow the time-course of cardiac action potentials. This style of recording is advantageous because the processes involved in the transduction of membrane potential are insensitive to the large extracellular electrical fields created by defibrillating shocks. Thus it is possible to observe both the changes in membrane voltage imposed by the passage of shock current and the subsequent electrophysiological responses of the myocardium.<>