OBJECTIVE: Rapid electrical activity in pulmonary veins (PVs) has been proposed as a mechanism for focal atrial fibrillation. The way in which the myocardial sleeve inside PVs can form a substrate for focal activity is not well understood. Therefore, we have studied tissue structure and connexin distribution at the veno-atrial transition in the dog. METHODS: In adult mongrel dogs, the anatomy of the PV area was studied. Tissue structure in individual veins was assessed in formalin fixed sections using Masson's Trichrome staining. Gap junction protein distribution was examined using antibodies against connexin40 (Cx40) and connexin43 (Cx43). The ultrastructure of myocytes in myocardial sleeves was studied using electron microscopy. RESULTS: Individual PVs in the dog had a gross morphology similar to that observed in the human, with myocardial sleeves extending into the veins for 4-20 mm. In all veins examined, myocytes in myocardial sleeves had a normal atrial morphology and anti-desmin staining pattern. Cx43 was expressed throughout the sleeve at levels comparable to normal atrial myocardium. By contrast, Cx40 expression was lower in myocardial sleeves than in the rest of the left atrium. Myocytes in the sleeve, which were ultrastructurally similar to normal atrial myocytes, were predominantly organized in a circumferential pattern. CONCLUSIONS: PVs in the dog and various canine models of heart disease will be a suitable model for (patho)physiology of the veno-atrial transition. Myocytes in myocardial sleeves are similar to normal atrial myocytes. The circumferential orientation of these myocytes may provide a substrate for rapid circular reentry.
OBJECTIVE: Rapid electrical activity in pulmonary veins (PVs) has been proposed as a mechanism for focal atrial fibrillation. The way in which the myocardial sleeve inside PVs can form a substrate for focal activity is not well understood. Therefore, we have studied tissue structure and connexin distribution at the veno-atrial transition in the dog. METHODS: In adult mongrel dogs, the anatomy of the PV area was studied. Tissue structure in individual veins was assessed in formalin fixed sections using Masson's Trichrome staining. Gap junction protein distribution was examined using antibodies against connexin40 (Cx40) and connexin43 (Cx43). The ultrastructure of myocytes in myocardial sleeves was studied using electron microscopy. RESULTS: Individual PVs in the dog had a gross morphology similar to that observed in the human, with myocardial sleeves extending into the veins for 4-20 mm. In all veins examined, myocytes in myocardial sleeves had a normal atrial morphology and anti-desmin staining pattern. Cx43 was expressed throughout the sleeve at levels comparable to normal atrial myocardium. By contrast, Cx40 expression was lower in myocardial sleeves than in the rest of the left atrium. Myocytes in the sleeve, which were ultrastructurally similar to normal atrial myocytes, were predominantly organized in a circumferential pattern. CONCLUSIONS: PVs in the dog and various canine models of heart disease will be a suitable model for (patho)physiology of the veno-atrial transition. Myocytes in myocardial sleeves are similar to normal atrial myocytes. The circumferential orientation of these myocytes may provide a substrate for rapid circular reentry.
Authors: Hugh Calkins; Gerhard Hindricks; Riccardo Cappato; Young-Hoon Kim; Eduardo B Saad; Luis Aguinaga; Joseph G Akar; Vinay Badhwar; Josep Brugada; John Camm; Peng-Sheng Chen; Shih-Ann Chen; Mina K Chung; Jens Cosedis Nielsen; Anne B Curtis; D Wyn Davies; John D Day; André d'Avila; N M S Natasja de Groot; Luigi Di Biase; Mattias Duytschaever; James R Edgerton; Kenneth A Ellenbogen; Patrick T Ellinor; Sabine Ernst; Guilherme Fenelon; Edward P Gerstenfeld; David E Haines; Michel Haissaguerre; Robert H Helm; Elaine Hylek; Warren M Jackman; Jose Jalife; Jonathan M Kalman; Josef Kautzner; Hans Kottkamp; Karl Heinz Kuck; Koichiro Kumagai; Richard Lee; Thorsten Lewalter; Bruce D Lindsay; Laurent Macle; Moussa Mansour; Francis E Marchlinski; Gregory F Michaud; Hiroshi Nakagawa; Andrea Natale; Stanley Nattel; Ken Okumura; Douglas Packer; Evgeny Pokushalov; Matthew R Reynolds; Prashanthan Sanders; Mauricio Scanavacca; Richard Schilling; Claudio Tondo; Hsuan-Ming Tsao; Atul Verma; David J Wilber; Teiichi Yamane Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2017-05-12 Impact factor: 6.343
Authors: Hugh Calkins; Karl Heinz Kuck; Riccardo Cappato; Josep Brugada; A John Camm; Shih-Ann Chen; Harry J G Crijns; Ralph J Damiano; D Wyn Davies; John DiMarco; James Edgerton; Kenneth Ellenbogen; Michael D Ezekowitz; David E Haines; Michel Haissaguerre; Gerhard Hindricks; Yoshito Iesaka; Warren Jackman; José Jalife; Pierre Jais; Jonathan Kalman; David Keane; Young-Hoon Kim; Paulus Kirchhof; George Klein; Hans Kottkamp; Koichiro Kumagai; Bruce D Lindsay; Moussa Mansour; Francis E Marchlinski; Patrick M McCarthy; J Lluis Mont; Fred Morady; Koonlawee Nademanee; Hiroshi Nakagawa; Andrea Natale; Stanley Nattel; Douglas L Packer; Carlo Pappone; Eric Prystowsky; Antonio Raviele; Vivek Reddy; Jeremy N Ruskin; Richard J Shemin; Hsuan-Ming Tsao; David Wilber Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2012-03-01 Impact factor: 6.343
Authors: Hugh Calkins; Karl Heinz Kuck; Riccardo Cappato; Josep Brugada; A John Camm; Shih-Ann Chen; Harry J G Crijns; Ralph J Damiano; D Wyn Davies; John DiMarco; James Edgerton; Kenneth Ellenbogen; Michael D Ezekowitz; David E Haines; Michel Haissaguerre; Gerhard Hindricks; Yoshito Iesaka; Warren Jackman; Jose Jalife; Pierre Jais; Jonathan Kalman; David Keane; Young-Hoon Kim; Paulus Kirchhof; George Klein; Hans Kottkamp; Koichiro Kumagai; Bruce D Lindsay; Moussa Mansour; Francis E Marchlinski; Patrick M McCarthy; J Lluis Mont; Fred Morady; Koonlawee Nademanee; Hiroshi Nakagawa; Andrea Natale; Stanley Nattel; Douglas L Packer; Carlo Pappone; Eric Prystowsky; Antonio Raviele; Vivek Reddy; Jeremy N Ruskin; Richard J Shemin; Hsuan-Ming Tsao; David Wilber Journal: J Interv Card Electrophysiol Date: 2012-03 Impact factor: 1.900
Authors: Joachim R Ehrlich; Tae-Joon Cha; Liming Zhang; Denis Chartier; Peter Melnyk; Stefan H Hohnloser; Stanley Nattel Journal: J Physiol Date: 2003-07-07 Impact factor: 5.182