<正>Objective: To establish a rabbit atrial fibrillation model with rapid atrial pacing （RAP） and investigate its ultrastructural changes and expressions of L-type calcium channel subunits and potassium channel Kv4. 3. Methods: Thirty-six rabbits were performed electrical stimulation through bipolar endo-cardial led by surgical technique. 600 beat per min from 0 to 48 h. Atrial ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscope （TEM） after different pacing times. mRNA were measured by reverse transcription-polymera.se chain reaction （RT-PCR）. Results: Atrial ultrastructure had alteration after 3 hours’ pacing

such as mitochondria vacuolization

myofilament lysis and glucogen aggregation. The mRNA of the Ca2+ channel β1 and α1 subunits began to decrease after pacing of 6 h. which were paralleled with the change of Kv4. 3 mRNA. But the auxiliary subunit α2 were not affected. Conclusion: Ultrastructural changes and mRNA levels of L-type calcium channel subunits and potassium channel Kv4. 3 are decreased after RAP. with a mechanism of transcriptional down-regulation of underlying ion channels due to calcium overloading after RAP.