Multi-scale electrophysiology modeling: from atom to organ

Abstract

In excitable cells, the molecular motions of ion channels are linked to the whole cell physiology via the transmembrane potential (Vm). To examine such events at the cellular level, we recently proposed a model that links the molecular dynamics (MD) and electrostatics of the slow delayed rectifier K+ channel (IKs) to the cell and tissue electrophysiology (Silva et al., 2009). Although the data for creating such a model are sparse and techniques to do a rigorous simulation are still being developed, the model provides a roadmap for future experiments and simulations that will provide a detailed understanding of the channel role in cardiac electrophysiology.