Identification of a switching model of calcium cycling in isolated rat hearts

So far, the processes involved in regulation of intracellular calcium (Ca_i²⁺) in cardiomyocytes have been mainly studied through biochemical and isolated cell analysis. Here, we present a novel technique to model and identify cardiac Ca_i²⁺-cycling under physiologically relevant conditions in the intact beating heart. Ca_i²⁺ was measured using fluorescence techniques in ex vivo perfused rat hearts. For analysis, we developed a parametric mathematical model, switching between active and inactive calcium release. The kinetic parameters of the two submodes of the model were computed using a recently developed technique from hybrid system identification. Application of the method to control and isoproterenol-stimulated hearts resulted in parameter values within a physiologically reliable range.