Optical mapping study for the analysis of the pathoelectrophysiological bases of atrial fibrillation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461078
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: University of the Ryukyus
• Principal Investigator: SAKAI Tetsuro 琉球大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (40153845)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 膜電位イメージング / 不整脈 / 頻拍様興奮 / 膜電位感受性色素 / 心房細動 / cMOS camera / photodiode array

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensor (CMOS) camera and a 16 X 16-element photodiode array together with a voltage-sensitive absorption dye (NK2761), we optically mapped the spread of excitation during experimental tachyarrhythmia (tachycardia-like excitation, TE) in the isolated rat atrial preparation, in order to elucidate the basic pathoelectrophysiological phenomena during the arrhythmia. Using the CMOS camera which was newly introduced to this study, chaotic spread of excitation during TE was visualized by movies. During the event of "chaotic" TE, fragmented excitatory waves (wavelets) propagated irregularly with unstable blocked areas which blocked the excitation spread, unstable micro re-entry circuits and/or unstable foci of abnormal automatism. We consider that these patterns may mimic the electrical activities during atrial arrhythmias.

Free Research Field

生理学