Slow Delayed Rectifier Current Protects Ventricular Myocytes from Arrhythmic Dynamics Across Multiple Species: A Computational Study

摘要

BACKGROUND:The slow and rapid delayed rectifier K⁺ currents (IKs and IKr, respectively) are responsible for repolarizing the ventricular action potential (AP) and preventing abnormally long APs that may lead to arrhythmias. Although differences in biophysical properties of the two currents have been carefully documented, the respective physiological roles of IKr and IKs are less established. In this study, we sought to understand the individual roles of these currents and quantify how effectively each stabilizes the AP and protects cells against arrhythmias across multiple species.