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Alpha and beta myosin isoforms and human atrial and ventricular contraction.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Abstract

Human atrial and ventricular contractions have distinct mechanical characteristics including speed of contraction, volume of blood delivered and the range of pressure generated. Notably, the ventricle expresses predominantly β-cardiac myosin while the atrium expresses mostly the α-isoform. In recent years exploration of the properties of pure α- & β-myosin isoforms have been possible in solution, in isolated myocytes and myofibrils. This allows us to consider the extent to which the atrial vs ventricular mechanical characteristics are defined by the myosin isoform expressed, and how the isoform properties are matched to their physiological roles. To do this we Outline the essential feature of atrial and ventricular contraction; Explore the molecular structural and functional characteristics of the two myosin isoforms; Describe the contractile behaviour of myocytes and myofibrils expressing a single myosin isoform; Finally we outline the outstanding problems in defining the differences between the atria and ventricles. This allowed us consider what features of contraction can and cannot be ascribed to the myosin isoforms present in the atria and ventricles.

Description

Keywords

Cardiac proteins, Cardiomyocytes, Heart, Myosin-structure–function, Amino Acid Sequence, Atrial Function, Blood Pressure, Heart Atria, Heart Ventricles, Humans, Myocardial Contraction, Myocytes, Cardiac, Myofibrils, Protein Domains, Protein Isoforms, Ventricular Function, Ventricular Myosins

Journal Title

Cell Mol Life Sci

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1420-682X
1420-9071

Volume Title

78

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Horizon 2020 (777204 SILICO FCM)