Biological pacemaker comprising dominant-negative kir2.1aaa

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Disclosed are methods and systems for modulating electrical behavior of cardiac cells, in , particular modulating the electrical behavior of quiescent cardiac cells. Preferred methods , include administering a polynucleotide or cell-based composition that can modulate cardiac , contraction to desired levels i.e. the administered composition functions to in order to convert , quiescent cells into cells that act as a biological pacemaker. In several embodiments, a , polynucleotide encoding a dominant-negative Kir2.1AAA (in which three alanine residues are , substituted for a GYG motif at residues 144-146 of a wild-type Kir2) is used to generate a , biological pacemaker.