Atrial and Sinus Node Arrhythmias in Ankyrin-B Syndrome

How can one monogenic defect—a mutation of the structural protein ankyrin-B—give rise to multiple disparate phenotypes across the heart? The new work by Wolf et al examines this very question. Associate Editor Igor Efimov interviews lead author Thomas Hund (Ohio State University) and expert Natalia Trayanova (Johns Hopkins University) in our latest podcast, which explores the multi-scale computer model created by Hund and his colleagues to study ankyrin-B mutation and its effect on sinus node dysfunction. Does Hund make the case for using an integrative, rather than reductionist, approach to studying cardiac arrhythmias? Listen and learn.

Roseanne M. Wolf, Patric Glynn, Seyed Hashemi, Keyan Zarei, Colleen C. Mitchell, Mark E. Anderson, Peter J. Mohler, and Thomas J. Hund Atrial Fibrillation and Sinus Node Dysfunction in Human Ankyrin-B Syndrome: A Computational Analysis Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, published online February 22, 2013, doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00734.2012.