Changes in dynamic embryonic heart wall motion in response to outflow tract banding measured using video densitometry.
Abnormal blood flow during early cardiovascular development has been identified as a key factor in the pathogenesis of congenital heart disease; however, the mechanisms by which altered hemodynamics induce cardiac malformations are poorly understood. This study used outflow tract (OFT) banding to model increased afterload, pressure, and blood flow velocities at tubular stages of heart development and characterized the immediate changes in cardiac wall motion due to banding in chicken embryo models with light microscopy-based video densitometry. Optical videos were used to acquire two-dimensional heart image sequences over the cardiac cycle, from which intensity data were extracted along the heart centerline at several locations in the heart ventricle and OFT. While no changes were observed in the synchronous contraction of the ventricle with banding, the peristaltic-like wall motion in the OFT was significantly affected. Our data provide valuable insight into early cardiac biomechanics and its characterization using a simple light microscopy-based imaging modality.
Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 3303 SW Bond Avenue, Mail Code CH13B, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States.
Stephanie
S
Stovall
Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 3303 SW Bond Avenue, Mail Code CH13B, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States.
Madeline
M
Midgett
Oregon Health and Science University, Center for Developmental Health, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, 3303 SW Bond Avenue, Mail Code CH13B, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States.
Kent
K
Thornburg
Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 3303 SW Bond Avenue, Mail Code CH13B, Portland, Oregon 97239, United StatesbOregon Health and Science University, Center for Developmental Health, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, 3303 SW Bond Avenue, Mail Code CH13B, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States.
Sandra
S
Rugonyi
D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D003720:Densitometry / Q000379:methods*; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D018715:Microscopy, Video / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results