Role of Ca-activated Cl currents in the heart: a computer model

Shows a new mathematical model for the cardiac Ca-dependent chloride current (I/sub Cl,Ca/). This model has been introduced in the Lindblad et al. (1996) model of rabbit atrial cell (LMCG model), and it is used to test the role of this current in normal and pathological situations. For normal situations, I/sub Cl,Ca/ is the second component of a transient outward current (I/sub to/) and results show that it is responsible for action potential duration (APD) regulation at high rates. In pathological conditions which provoke Early After Depolarizations (EAD) results show that I/sub Cl,Ca/ avoids EAD generation. The hypothesis reported in the literature about the possibility of I/sub Cl,Ca/ being a component of a transient inward current that provokes Delayed After Depolarizations (DAD) is also confirmed.