An In-Vitro Model of Cardiac Fibrillation with Different Degrees of Complexity

Abstract

The difficulty in obtaining research models of chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the main constraints to make progress in the elucidation of the mechanisms of perpetuation of this arrhythmia. The aim of this study is to present a new model of in vitro AF with different degrees of complexity similar to those observed during AF with varying degrees of structural remodeling. In the present study, optical calcium mapping is used to characterize the degree of disorganization of the reentrant activity in HL-1 confluent cell cultures. Specifically, the number of simultaneous rotors is linked with the time and degree of inhomogeneity of cell cultures. HL-1 cell cultures showed electrophysiological characteristics dependent on their degree of confluency resembling processes with varying degrees of complexity as it occurs during AF with varying degrees of structural remodeling. This model could be useful for studying the effect of remodeling on the fibrillatory process and to evaluate new antiarrhythmic drugs.