Simulation of cell to cell interaction during reentrant activation

Abstract

The cardiac electrophysiological phenomena of reentrant excitation has been postulated as a possible mechanism for ventricular arrhythmias. Reentrant activation has been shown with the surviving epicardial layer as the electrophysiological substrate in a four-day canine post left anterior descending artery occlusion model. The thin surviving epicardial layer was simulated by a two-dimensional finite cable model with the active membrane properties modeled by modified Beeler-Reuter kinetics. The model surface consists of the periphery-reflecting normal membrane properties with progressively depressed membrane properties and decreased cellular coupling at the center of the surface. The functional significance of the simulation study of cell-cell electrical interaction during reentrant excitation is to provide a basis for understanding the spatial gradations of conduction velocity observed as regions of slow conduction leading to functional conduction block in the reentrant circuit.<>