Newest Articles
Ionic currents and Ca2+ transients in intact heartsIntact heart physiology assessed by local-field optical techniques helps decipher cardiac function at the organ level. Here, we found that the phase 1 repolarization rate of the mouse ventricular action potential defines contractility by regulating the deactivation of an L-type Ca2+ current.
Biophotons and photoreceptor dark noiseIt has been suggested that retinal “dark light” is caused by photons emitted by the retina itself. The authors show that the “biophoton” radiation from the retina can be detected, but its intensity is ≥100 times lower than necessary to produce the measured physiological noise understood to arise from the spontaneous activation of rhodopsin.
Inhibition of human P2X4 by bile acidsThe human purinergic receptor P2X4 is an ATP-gated nonselective cation channel expressed in a variety of cells, including hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Ilyaskin et al. find that the bile acids inhibit P2X4 by stabilizing the channel's closed state, likely by interacting with its transmembrane domain.
Optimizing Cys-loop receptor concatenationSubunit concatenation is a powerful technique used to control the assembly of structurally diverse heteromeric receptors such as GABAARs. Liao et al. find that existing GABAAR concatemers do not assemble as expected and describe refinements that allow expression of uniform receptor populations.
How titin and nebulin affect contractilityThe contractility of striated muscle can be modulated by various mutations in nebulin and titin present in human disease. Mijailovich et al. perform computational simulations coupled with experimental observations to provide insights into the mechanisms by which mutations in these proteins cause disease phenotypes.
The biogenesis and role of mitoflashIndividual mitochondria undergo an intermittent, all-or-none electrochemical excitation termed “mitoflash.” Feng et al. show that mitoflash occurs following build-up of mitochondrial electrochemical potential and may serve to autoregulate mitochondrial proton electrochemical potential.
Power of simple models of myosin binding to actinModels of muscle contraction often assume that a myosin motor interacts with areas of one to three distinct binding sites along an actin filament. Månsson shows that computational models employing different numbers of sites return similar predictions, suggesting one-site models are often sufficient.
Current Issue
April 1, 2019
Volume 151, No. 4
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Reviews & Opinions
- Progress on the regulation of myofibrillar function: Part 2
The second of two special issues on contractile systems charts further progress towards an understanding of myofilament regulation.
- What a drag!: Skeletal myosin binding protein-C affects sarcomeric shortening
Colson discusses a recent investigation of the functional effect of slow myosin binding protein-C in slow-twitch skeletal muscle fibers.
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Bazmi and Escobar highlight a recent investigation of the mechanisms that regulate Ca2+ influx during sympathetic stimulation.