Gene That Helps Control Heartbeat Found

Researchers have identified a gene that plays an important role in making sure the heart beats properly -- a discovery that could cast light on the abnormal heartbeats called arrhythmias that often lead to major cardiac problems. It's a complicated business that centers on the tiny channels through which potassium pours into the heart, explained Benoit G. Bruneau, an assistant professor of molecular and medical genetics at the University of Toronto, and lead author of a paper about the finding in the Oct. 21 issue of Cell.