Most cardiologists are familiar with “Circulation” . We know it is a top cardiology journal with highest impact factor. Few of us are aware of a journal called “Circulation research” ( I wonder why it is named like that , as if the regular circulation journal does not carry research stuff !)
It is one of the path breaking journals that regularly churn out state of the art , often mind boggling research stuff. Once in while we should get a feel of basic science research as it happens.
How else we are going to know an atrial cell is to be bio engineered shortly to behave like a SA node in patients with sinus node dysfunction. (Biological pacing )
This team from academic medical centre Amsterdam should be credited for publishing this gem of an article from a study involving the measly mice !
It deals elaborately about the embryonic basis of AV nodal disorders . Specifically it explains the genesis of WPW syndrome and how AV rings get muscularised .
(It is due to error in bio-genetic forces ,which affect the incorporation of AV nodal tissue in the fibrous skeleton .This results in ectopic junctional tissues appear any where along the AV ring . This is the basis of accessory AV pathway and clinical re-excitation.)
Final message
Once in a while we should develop the habit of reading tough journals like circulation research . After all , if a cardiologist is not reading these stuff who else . . . will ?
Reference
http://circres.ahajournals.org/content/107/6/728.full.pdf+html
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 