Role of Ca-activated Cl currents in the heart: a computer model

Shows a new mathematical model for the cardiac Ca-dependent chloride current (I_Cl,Ca). This model has been introduced in the Lindblad et al. (1996) model of rabbit atrial cell (LMCG model), and it is used to test the role of this current in normal and pathological situations. For normal situations, I_Cl,Ca is the second component of a transient outward current (I_to) and results show that it is responsible for action potential duration (APD) regulation at high rates. In pathological conditions which provoke Early After Depolarizations (EAD) results show that I_Cl,Ca avoids EAD generation. The hypothesis reported in the literature about the possibility of I_Cl,Ca being a component of a transient inward current that provokes Delayed After Depolarizations (DAD) is also confirmed