A major role for taurine in animals and humans may be calcium ion regulation. In the mammalian heart, the influx of calcium ions creates the plateau of contraction and its removal allows the relaxation phase, which is integral to the effective beating of the heart muscle. This regulation within the heart muscle may be a product of taurine regulation, and this may be one vital role for taurine in normal physiological processes. Taurine may play a stabilising effect on the heart contractions, via a positively inotropic regulation of heart muscle cells exposed to low calcium ion conditions and via a negatively inotropic regulation in heart muscle cells exposed to high levels of calcium ions. Taurine may also stabilise membranes following calcium ion changes. Further, taurine may also stabilise membranes following hypoxia in heart muscle cells through regulation of calcium ions. In congestive heart failure, taurine may accumulate in the heart tissue and this may provide a cardiotonic effect to improve heart muscle contraction efficiency. For example, digitalis works by inotropic mechanisms through increased delivery of calcium ions to failing cardiac tissue. Taurine may work in the same way to allow improved contraction efficiency thus mitigating some of the deficit present.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
Huxtable, R. J. 1992. Physiological actions of taurine. Physiological Reviews. 72(1): 101-163
