About this Research Topic
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia in clinic. Atrial fibrillation is characterised by molecular, structural and electrical remodelling, including ion channel dysfunction, Ca2+-handling disturbances, and cardiomyocyte structural reshaping, which all together lead to severe complications such as stroke, heart failure (HF), and sudden death (SD). The substantial morbidity and mortality associated with the disease increase its management burden and the need for a better understanding of its underlying fundamental mechanisms, as well as for a more reliable therapeutic treatment. Although the past two decades witnessed significant advances in atrial fibrillation diagnosis and management, the gaps are still huge and the pathophysiological mechanisms behind atrial fibrillation onset and progress are still poorly understood. Therefore, mobilizing knowledge to improve our understanding of the atrial electrical, ionic/molecular and structural mechanisms that promote atrial fibrillation in the affected patients could help identifying new therapeutic targets/tools and then improve the patient’s quality of life.
This Research Topic will focus on the electrical, structural and molecular remodelling processes underlying atrial fibrillation initiation and maintenance and seeks to compile a series of high-quality research articles and up to date comprehensive reviews unveiling all aspects of atrial fibrillation mechanisms. Potential contribution topics include, but are not limited to:
- Cardiomyocyte remodelling
- Fibrosis
- Inflammation
- Arrhythmia
- Intracellular Ca2+ handling
- Ion channels dysfunction
- Transcription factors
- Non-coding-RNAs mediated gene regulation
Contributions on other significant topics that provide knowledge that might open the way to new therapeutic tools for atrial fibrillation are also welcome.
Keywords: atrial fibrillation, cardiomyocyte remodelling, fibrosis, inflammation, arrhythmia, intracellular Ca2+ handling, ion channels, signalling cascades, non-coding RNAs
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.