This study presents the sensitivity of global ice crystal number concentration, Nc, to the parameterization of heterogeneous ice nuclei (IN). Simulations are carried out with the NASA Global Modeling Initiative chemical and transport model coupled to an analytical ice microphysics parameterization. Heterogeneous freezing is described using nucleation spectra derived from theoretical considerations and empirical data for dust, black carbon, ammonium sulfate, and glassy aerosol as IN precursors. When competition between homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing is considered, global mean Nc vary by up to a factor of twenty depending on the heterogeneous freezing spectrum used. IN effects on Nc strongly depend on dust and black carbon concentrations and are strongest under conditions of weak updraft and high temperature. Regardless of the heterogeneous spectrum used, dust is an important contributor of IN over large regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Black carbon however exhibits appreciable effects on Nc when the freezing fraction is greater than 1%. Compared to in situ observations, Nc is overpredicted at temperatures below 205 K, even if a fraction of liquid aerosol is allowed to act as glassy IN. Assuming that cirrus formation is forced by weak updraft addressed this overprediction but promoted heterogeneous freezing effects to the point where homogeneous freezing is inhibited for IN concentrations as low as 1 L-1. Chemistry and dynamics must be considered to explain cirrus characteristics at low temperature. Only cloud formation scenarios where competition between homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing is the dominant feature would result in maximum supersaturation levels consistent with observations. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.