Calcium handling in isolated guinea-pig ventricular myocytes

Advanced cardiac research techniques have enabled a great deal of information to be amassed about certain subcellular components. These data concerning behaviour of specific parts of the cell need to be integrated to deduce the behaviour and function of these items within the cell as a whole. Computer modelling is an ideal aid in realizing this integration. A mathematical model of an isolated guinea-pig ventricular myocyte was constructed, based loosely on a previously existing model of the rabbit trial cell. The guinea-pig model reproduced certain phenomena well, but did not stand up to rigorous testing of the non-standard calcium handling capabilities of a ventricular cell. The spatial arrangement of the model cell was restructured, and the presence of temporary ionic gradients inside the cell accounted for by dividing the cytosol into physiologically and structurally distinct compartments. The behaviour of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and its calcium release channel in particular, was reviewed, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum was remodelled in the light of recent experimental evidence.