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Development of the cardiac pacemaker

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Abstract

The sinoatrial node (SAN) is the dominant pacemaker of the heart. Abnormalities in SAN formation and function can cause sinus arrhythmia, including sick sinus syndrome and sudden death. A better understanding of genes and signaling pathways that regulate SAN development and function is essential to develop more effective treatment to sinus arrhythmia, including biological pacemakers. In this review, we briefly summarize the key processes of SAN morphogenesis during development, and focus on the transcriptional network that drives SAN development.

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Acknowledgments

YFS was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology China (2013CB967400) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (81570285); SME by grants from NIH (HL123747, HL119967). XQL by grants from NSFC (81370196, 81670448, 81221001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Arrhythmia, Shanghai East Hospital, Ministry of Education, Tongji University School of Medicine, 150 Jimo Road, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Xingqun Liang & Yunfu Sun

  2. Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. M/C 0613C, BSB 5027, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Sylvia M. Evans

  3. Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Sylvia M. Evans

  4. Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Sylvia M. Evans

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  1. Xingqun Liang
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  2. Sylvia M. Evans
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  3. Yunfu Sun
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Correspondence to Yunfu Sun.

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Liang, X., Evans, S.M. & Sun, Y. Development of the cardiac pacemaker. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 74, 1247–1259 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-016-2400-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-016-2400-1

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