Electrical interactions between cardiac cells studied with "model clamp"

We have developed a method for coupling a single isolated cardiac cell to its mathematical model counterpart by a variable artificial intercellular conductance. With this "model clamp" technique, the model cell is coupled by any desired value of "gap junctional conductance" to an isolated cardiac cell from which electrophysiological recordings are being made in the current clamp mode. The cell model runs on a fast personal computer and communicates bidirectionally with the real cell through a data acquisition board. We have used the model clamp technique to study synchronization of rabbit sinoatrial node cells and action potential conduction between guinea pig ventricular cells.