The importance of Ca2+ dependent mechanisms for the initiation of the heartbeat

The importance of Ca<sup>2+</sup> dependent mechanisms for the initiation of the heartbeat

Rebecca A. Capel and Derek A. Terrar Abstract Mechanisms underlying pacemaker activity in the sinus node remain controversial, with some ascribing a dominant role to timing events in the surface membrane (“membrane clock”) and others to uptake and release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) (“calcium clock”). Here we discuss recent evidence on mechanisms […]