Dual network structure of the AV node

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Maltsev, Anna V., Barlas, Yasir Z., Hazan, Adina, Zhang, Rui, Ottolia, Michela, Goldhaber, Joshua I.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Maltsev, Anna V.
Barlas, Yasir Z.
Hazan, Adina
Zhang, Rui
Ottolia, Michela
Goldhaber, Joshua I.
author_facet Maltsev, Anna V.
Barlas, Yasir Z.
Hazan, Adina
Zhang, Rui
Ottolia, Michela
Goldhaber, Joshua I.
contents Biological systems, particularly the brain, are frequently analyzed as networks, conveying mechanistic insights into their function and pathophysiology. This is the first study of a functional network of cardiac tissue. We use calcium imaging to obtain two functional networks in a subsidiary but essential pacemaker of the heart, the atrioventricular node (AVN). The AVN is a small cellular structure with dual functions: a) to delay the pacemaker signal passing from the sinoatrial node (SAN) to the ventricles, and b) to serve as a back-up pacemaker should the primary SAN pacemaker fail. Failure of the AVN can lead to syncope and death. We found that the shortest path lengths and clustering coefficients of the AVN are remarkably similar to those of the brain. The network is ``small-world," thus optimized for energy use vs transmission efficiency. We further study the network properties of AVN tissue with knock-out of the sodium-calcium exchange transporter. In this case, the average shortest path-lengths remained nearly unchanged showing network resilience, while the clustering coefficient was somewhat reduced, similar to schizophrenia in brain networks. When we removed the global action potential using principal component analysis (PCA) in wild-type model, the network lost its ``small-world" characteristics with less information-passing efficiency due to longer shortest path lengths but more robust signal propagation resulting from higher clustering. These two wild-type networks (with and without global action potential) may correspond to fast and slow conduction pathways. Laslty, a one-parameter non-linear preferential attachment model is a good fit to all three AVN networks.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2405_15841
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Dual network structure of the AV node
Maltsev, Anna V.
Barlas, Yasir Z.
Hazan, Adina
Zhang, Rui
Ottolia, Michela
Goldhaber, Joshua I.
Quantitative Methods
Biological Physics
Biological systems, particularly the brain, are frequently analyzed as networks, conveying mechanistic insights into their function and pathophysiology. This is the first study of a functional network of cardiac tissue. We use calcium imaging to obtain two functional networks in a subsidiary but essential pacemaker of the heart, the atrioventricular node (AVN). The AVN is a small cellular structure with dual functions: a) to delay the pacemaker signal passing from the sinoatrial node (SAN) to the ventricles, and b) to serve as a back-up pacemaker should the primary SAN pacemaker fail. Failure of the AVN can lead to syncope and death. We found that the shortest path lengths and clustering coefficients of the AVN are remarkably similar to those of the brain. The network is ``small-world," thus optimized for energy use vs transmission efficiency. We further study the network properties of AVN tissue with knock-out of the sodium-calcium exchange transporter. In this case, the average shortest path-lengths remained nearly unchanged showing network resilience, while the clustering coefficient was somewhat reduced, similar to schizophrenia in brain networks. When we removed the global action potential using principal component analysis (PCA) in wild-type model, the network lost its ``small-world" characteristics with less information-passing efficiency due to longer shortest path lengths but more robust signal propagation resulting from higher clustering. These two wild-type networks (with and without global action potential) may correspond to fast and slow conduction pathways. Laslty, a one-parameter non-linear preferential attachment model is a good fit to all three AVN networks.
title Dual network structure of the AV node
topic Quantitative Methods
Biological Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.15841