title: Establishment and characterization of a mouse embryonic heart slice preparation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In contrast to isolated cells, the anatomic and functional integrity of tissue slices remains preserved. Aim of the study was to establish the slice technique in embryonic mouse hearts in order to perform physiological and pharmacological investigations of wild-type mice and genetically engineered mouse models of heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ventricular slices (thickness: 300 mum) were cut from agar-embedded embryonic mouse hearts (ED 16.5-18.5) with a vibratome. Histology, immunostaining with markers for apoptosis induction, intracellular recordings with sharp electrodes and field potential recordings using microelectrode arrays were performed to assess viability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Slices exhibited normal histology without prominent signs of apoptosis for at least 24 hours. Intracellular recordings revealed the typical electrophysiological fingerprint of ventricular cardiomyocytes. Field potential recordings proved that adrenergic and muscarinic signaling was preserved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functionally intact heart slices can be generated from murine embryos.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Cardiology, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pillekamp
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reppel
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dinkelacker
authors.forename: Yaqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jazmati
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bloch
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brockmeier
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hescheler
authors.forename: Bernd K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Fleischmann
authors.forename: Ruediger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koehling
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D002217:Carbachol; D007545:Isoproterenol