Mathematical models of action potentials in the periphery and center of the rabbit sinoatrial node.

Model Status

The CellML version of this model has been curated and unit checked by Penny Noble and it is known to run in COR to recreate the published results. The Zhang model has since been updated by Alan Garny et al. (2003) and this model has also been described in CellML and can be found in the model repository.

ValidateCellML confirms this model as valid CellML with full unit consistency.

Model Structure

In 2000 H. Zhang et al published a mathematical model which describes the action potentials in the periphery and center of the rabbit sinoatrial node (see the figure below). The SA node is functionally, anatomically and electrophysiologically heterogeneous. In their model, Zhang et al accounted for this heterogeneity by defining two distinct models for the peripheral and the central cells of the SA node. These models have the same equations to define the ionic currents, but they vary in their parameters. The CellML description here is of the peripheral SA node cell model. To make it appropriate for the central SA node cells, certain parameters need to be changed (refer to the original paper reference which is cited below).

Mathematical models of action potentials in the periphery and center of the rabbit sinoatrial node, H. Zhang, A.V. Holden, I. Honjo, M. Lei, T. Varghese and M.R. Boyett, 2000, Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. , 279, H397-H421.

A schematic diagram describing the current flows across the cell membrane that are captured in the Zhang et al 2000 model of the action potentials in the peripheral cells of the SA node.

The network defined in the CellML description of the Zhang et al 2000 model. For simplicity, not all the variables are shown.