Quantum electrodynamic theory of the cardiac excitation propagation I: construction of quantum electrodynamics in the bidomain

Abstract

To provide a unified theoretical framework ranging from a cellular-level excitation mechanism to organic-level geometric propagation, a new theory inspired by quantum electrodynamic theory for light propagation is proposed by describing the cardiac excitation propagation as the continuation of absorption and emission of charged ions by myocardial cells. By the choice of gauge and the membrane current density, a set of Maxwell's equations with a charge density and a current density is constructed in macroscopic bidomain and is shown to be equivalent to the diffusion-reaction system with the B. van der Pol oscillator. The derived Maxwell's equations for the excitation propagation obeys the conservational laws of the number of the cations, energy and momentum, but the total charge is not conserved. The Lagrangian is derived to reveal that the trajectory and wavefront of the excitation propagation are the same as the electrodynamic wave if ion channels work uniformly. From the second quantization, the Hamiltonian is also derived to explain the excitation mechanism of the myocardial cell by Feynman's diagram and the mechanism of the refractory period in the perspective of positron. The effects of the external electromagnetic field are explained both from the action of the Lagrangian and the interaction by the Hamiltonian.