Ca(2+) Sparks in Cardiac Muscle: Is There Life Without Them?

The discovery of elementary Ca(2+) signaling events, the Ca(2+) sparks, has profoundly changed our view of cardiac Ca(2+) signaling and, in particular, excitationcontraction coupling. In addition, a partial disruption of cardiac Ca(2+) signaling may be important in clinical cardiac conditions such as congestive heart failure. Understanding cardiac diseases on the cellular and molecular levels may provide a key to new pharmacological strategies in the near future.