The heart is vital for biological function in almost all chordates, including humans. It beats
continually throughout our life, supplying the body with oxygen and nutrients while removing …

Mechanical forces will have been omnipresent since the origin of life, and living organisms
have evolved mechanisms to sense, interpret, and respond to mechanical stimuli. The …

Cells within the human body are subjected to continuous, cyclic mechanical strain caused
by various organ functions, movement, and growth. Cells are well known to have the ability …

Heart failure affects nearly 6 million Americans, with a half-million new cases emerging each
year. Whereas up to 50% of heart failure patients die of arrhythmia, the diverse mechanisms …

The skin is the largest organ that protects the body from the outside and is subjected to
constant physical stimulation, such as stretching. Although many studies currently focus on …

Atrial myocytes are continuously exposed to mechanical forces including shear stress.
However, in atrial myocytes, the effects of shear stress are poorly understood, particularly …

We investigate the interaction of intracellular calcium spatio-temporal variations with the self-
sustained contractions in cardiac myocytes. A consistent mathematical model is presented …

Cardiac pacemaker cells exhibit spontaneous, rhythmic electrical excitation, termed
automaticity. This automatic initiation of action potentials requires spontaneous diastolic …

Hollow organs (eg heart) experience pressure-induced mechanical wall stress sensed by
molecular mechano-biosensors, including mechanosensitive ion channels, to translate into …

Excitation of the heart occurs in a specialised region known as the sinoatrial node (SAN).
Tight regulation of SAN function is essential for the maintenance of normal heart rhythm and …