title: Isolated heart models for studying cardiac electrophysiology: a historical perspective and recent advances.
abstract: Experimental models used in cardiovascular research range from cellular to whole heart preparations. Isolated whole hearts show higher levels of structural and functional integration than lower level models such as tissues or cellular fragments. Cardiovascular diseases are multi-factorial problems that are dependent on highly organized structures rather than on molecular or cellular components alone. This article first provides a general introduction on the animal models of cardiovascular diseases. It is followed by a detailed overview and a historical perspective of the different isolated heart systems with a particular focus on the Langendorff perfusion method for the study of cardiac arrhythmias. The choice of species, perfusion method, and perfusate composition are discussed in further detail with particular considerations of the theoretical and practical aspects of experimental settings.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Imperial College London, London.
authors.forename: Jie Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, P.R.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, P.R.
authors.forename: Hiu Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, P.R.
authors.forename: Yee Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, P.R.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne.
authors.forename: Bryan P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, P.R.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D010477:Perfusion
keywords: Langendorff mode; animal models; cardiac electrophysiology; perfusate composition; perfusion methods; species differences; working mode