title: Automated image analysis of cardiac myocyte Ca2+ dynamics.
abstract: Intracellular Ca(2+) dynamics act as a key link between the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart. Here we present a method for high-throughput measurement, automated cell segmentation and signal analysis of Ca(2+) transients in isolated adult ventricular myocytes. In addition to increasing experimental throughput ~10-fold compared to conventional approaches, this approach allows the study of individual cell-cell variability and relationships between Ca(2+) signaling and cell morphology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Box 800759, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. rka2p@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Amanfu
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Saucerman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001331:Automation; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium