Heartbeats are considered to arise through specialised pacemaker cells establishing rhythmically generated (i.e. pacemaker) action potentials, which then trigger propagating action potentials in heart muscle causing contraction and pumping of blood. This research proposal aims to challenge the physical model that is used to describe this pacemaker process and resultant heart conduction. Our reasons for doing this derive from our discovery of an alternative pacemaker-conduction mechanism, which w ....Heartbeats are considered to arise through specialised pacemaker cells establishing rhythmically generated (i.e. pacemaker) action potentials, which then trigger propagating action potentials in heart muscle causing contraction and pumping of blood. This research proposal aims to challenge the physical model that is used to describe this pacemaker process and resultant heart conduction. Our reasons for doing this derive from our discovery of an alternative pacemaker-conduction mechanism, which we have shown to operate in various smooth muscles. This mechanism, termed store-based pacemaking, is entirely different to the currently held cardiac model but could readily achieve the same outcome. We will investigate the hypotheses that this pacemaker mechanism is also fundamental to mammalian heart pacemaking and conduction. Positive support for our hypotheses, as indicated by our findings on amphibian hearts and from pilot findings, may severely challenge the present model for cardiac pacemaking. Such an outcome will have major ramifications on present interpretation of cardiac function in health and disease and will be particularly important to interpretation of disorders associated with cardiac arrhythmias and heart conduction.Read moreRead less
Heartbeats are considered to arise through specialised pacemaker cells establishing rhythmically generated (i.e. pacemaker) action potentials, which then trigger propagating action potentials in heart muscle causing contraction and pumping of blood. This research proposal aims to challenge the physical model that is used to describe this pacemaker process and resultant heart conduction. Our reasons for doing this derive from our discovery of an alternative pacemaker-conduction mechanism, which w ....Heartbeats are considered to arise through specialised pacemaker cells establishing rhythmically generated (i.e. pacemaker) action potentials, which then trigger propagating action potentials in heart muscle causing contraction and pumping of blood. This research proposal aims to challenge the physical model that is used to describe this pacemaker process and resultant heart conduction. Our reasons for doing this derive from our discovery of an alternative pacemaker-conduction mechanism, which we have shown to operate in various smooth muscles. This mechanism, termed store-based pacemaking, is entirely different to the currently held cardiac model but could readily achieve the same outcome. We will investigate the hypothesis that this pacemaker mechanism is also fundamental to heart pacemaking and conduction. Positive support for our hypothesis, as indicated by our pilot findings, may severely challenge the present model for cardiac pacemaking. Such an outcome will have major ramifications on present interpretation of cardiac function in health and disease and will be particularly important to interpretation of disorders associated with cardiac arrhythmias and heart conduction.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Antibody In Inflammatory Demyelinating Neuropathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$218,566.00
Summary
The causes and disease mechanism of inflammatory neuropathy remain unknown. Although treatments have been developed (intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange) they are extremely expensive and non specific in action and beyond the means of the worlds most populous nations. These studies plan to illuminate the mechanism of disease production so that better and more affordable therapy can be developed. We have shown that antibodies which cause nerve damage are present in patients serum. Antib ....The causes and disease mechanism of inflammatory neuropathy remain unknown. Although treatments have been developed (intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange) they are extremely expensive and non specific in action and beyond the means of the worlds most populous nations. These studies plan to illuminate the mechanism of disease production so that better and more affordable therapy can be developed. We have shown that antibodies which cause nerve damage are present in patients serum. Antibodies bind to specific target molecules and our work is close to identifying that target on nerve. We also plan to study how antibody leaks into nerve. This knowledge should allow more specific and effective treatment to be developed.Read moreRead less