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Between Bedside and Bench


Nature Medicine 15, 25 - 26 (2009)
doi:10.1038/nm0109-25

Rescuing a failing heart: think globally, treat locally

Mark E Anderson1 & Peter J Mohler1

Cardiac physiology depends on the ability of heart muscle cells to properly sort 'global' and 'local' calcium signals. Vertebrate heart muscle cells control intracellular calcium through elaborate membrane ultrastructure and cytoskeletal proteins that position calcium homeostatic proteins, such as ion channels and exchangers, into specialized nanodomains—restricted spaces capable of supporting a local calcium signaling environment.