Digital movie analysis for quantification of beating frequencies, chronotropic effects, and beating areas in cardiomyocyte cultures.
Software, named Cardio Analyser, was developed for digital movie analysis of beating frequencies, drug-induced chronotropic effects, and quantification of beating areas of contracting cardiomyocyte cultures. A major novelty of the software is the introduction of automated noise filtering and automated movie analysis of beating frequencies and areas of contracting cardiomyocyte cultures. The software was based on the observation that the intensity of light transmitted through a contractive tissue changes periodically in a way that correlates with the contractions. We provided proof of principle for the method by derivation of relevant data from movies of multicellular cardiomyocyte cultures derived from embryonic stem cells. Moreover, we compared the data to equivalent results obtained by extracellular electric field potential recordings. The comparison demonstrated higher sensitivity to chronotropic effects of the beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline, and hence implied that more embryonic stem cells underwent differentiation into beta-adrenoceptor-responding cardiomyocytes, in the experimental setup applied for movie analysis than in the setup used for extracellular electric field potential recordings. Our study indicates that the movie analysis method may have potential to be optimized for screening in early drug discovery, aiming to identify cardiac drug candidates or to alert for adverse effects on heart functionality or embryonic heart development.
European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra (VA), Italy.
Tina C
TC
Stummann
Mateusz
M
Wronski
Tomasz
T
Sobanski
Benjamin
B
Kumpfmueller
Lars
L
Hareng
Susanne
S
Bremer
Maurice P
MP
Whelan
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000502:physiology*; D012984:Software
D007545:Isoproterenol