Normal Cardiac Excitation: Generation, Propagation and Coupling to Contraction
Principal Investigator: Ursula Ravens

University: Technische Universität Dresden, Germany

Main contributions:

  • define ion channel targets of remodelling in human atrial fibrillation.
  • integrate their functional role and pharmacological modulation by mathematical approaches.

Lab web-page: http://www.tu-dresden.de/medpharma/research/ravens.htm

Contact: ravens@rcs.urz.tu-dresden.de

Relevant Publications:

  • Greiser M, Neuberger H, Harks E, El-Armouche A, Boknik P, Verheyen F, Verheule S, Schmitz W, Ravens R, Nattel S, Allessie M, Dobrev D & Schotten U. Distinct Contractile and Molecular Alterations in Two Goat Models of Atrial Dysfunction: A V-Block-induced Atrial Dilation and Atrial Fibrillation. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2009/46:385-394. 
  • Nemtsas P, Wettwer E, Christ T, Weidinger G & Ravens U. Adult zebrafish heart as a model for human neart? An electrophysiological study. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2009/Sep 09:(epub ahead of print). 
  • Bussek A, Wettwer E, Christ T, Lohmann H, Camelliti P & Ravens U. Tissue slices from adult mammalian hearts as a model for pharmacological drug testing. Cell Physiol Biochem (in press) 2009/xxx:XXX. 
  • Voigt N, Rozmaritsa N, Trausch A, Zimniak T, Christ T, Wettwer E, Matschke K, Dobrev D & Ravens U. Inhibition of IK,ACh current may contribute to clinical efficacy of class I and class III antiarrhythmic drugs in patients with atrial fibrillation. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol (in revision) 2009/(in press):xxx. 
  • Radicke S, Cotella D, Sblattero D, Ravens U, Santoro C & Wettwer E.. The transmembrane beta-subunits KCNE1, KCNE2, and DPP6 modify pharmacological effects of the antiarrhythmic agent tedisamil on the transient outward current Ito.. Naunyn-Schmied Arch Pharmacol 2009/379(6):617-627. 
  • Radicke S, Vaquero M, Caballero R, Gómez R, Núñez L, Tamargo J, Ravens U, Wettwer E & Delpón E.. Effects of MiRP1 and DPP6 beta-subunits on the blockade induced by flecainide of Kv4.3/KChIP2 channels.. Br J Pharmacol. 2008/154(4):774-786. 
  • Christ T, Wettwer E & Ravens U. Letter by Christ et al regarding article, "Angiotensin II potentiates the slow component of delayed rectifier K+ current via the AT1 receptor in guinea pig atrial myocytes".. Circulation 2007/114 (18):e565. 
  • Christ T, Wettwer E, Voigt N, Hála O, Radicke S, Matschke K, Várro A, Dobrev D &Ravens U . Pathology-specific effects of the IKur/Ito/IK,ACh blocker AVE0118 on ion channels in human chronic atrial fibrillation. Br J Pharmacol 2007/154(8):1619-1630. 
  • Wettwer E. Is there a functional correlate of Kv1.5 in the ventricle of canine heart and what would it mean for the use of IKur blockers?. Br J Pharmacol 2007/:1234-7890. 
  • Wettwer E, Christ T, Dobrev D & Ravens U.. Novel anti-arrhythmic agents for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2007/7:214-218. 
  • Voigt N, Friedrich A, Bock M, Wettwer E, Christ T, Knaut M, Strasser RH, Ravens U & Dobrev D. Differential phosphorylation-dependent regulation of constitutively active and muscarinic receptor-activated I(K,ACh) channels in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. Cardiovascular Research 2007/74(3):426-437. 
  • El-Armouche A, Boknik P, Eschenhagen T, Carrier L, Knaut M, Ravens U & Dobrev D. Molecular determinants of altered Ca2+-handling in human chronic atrial fibrillation. Circulation 2006/114(7)/15 August:670-680.  (Link)
  • Radicke S, Cotella D, Graf EM, Banse U, Jost N, Varro A, Tseng GN, Ravens U & Wettwer E. Functional modulation of the transient outward current Ito by KCNE beta-subunits and regional distribution in human non-failing and failing hearts. Cardiovascular Research 2006/71(4) / Sep 1:695-703.  (Link)
  • Dobrev D & Ravens U. Do genetics help to better understand the underlying mechanisms of atrial fibrillation?. European Heart Journal 2006/27(14):1640-1641.  (Link)
  • Christ T, Schindelhauer S, Wettwer E, Wallukat G & Ravens U. Interaction between autoantibodies against the β1-adrenoreceptor and isoprenaline in enhancing L-type Ca2+ current in rat ventricular myocytes. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 2006/41:716-723.  (Link)