- 期刊
Establishment of a Visualization Model for Regeneration of Damaged Heart in Xenopus
摘要
Objectives: An animal model of cardiac injury and regeneration is of great significance for deciphering the molecular mechanisms of heart regeneration. Typically, heart regeneration can be surgically induced by removing heart tissue from a lower vertebrate whose heart is capable of complete regeneration. Successful establishment of a visualization model monitoring cardiac injury and regeneration of the Xenopus will provide a feasible method to observe the dynamic process of cardiac wound healing in Xenopus. This model will also facilitate our understanding of the molecular mechanism of cardiac regeneration and help us to develop novel therapeutic strategy to regenerate the damaged heart in mammals. Methods: The cadiac injury model of Xenopus laevis albino was established by excising about 10% of the ventricule. A visualization model monitoring cardiac injury and regeneration of the Xenopus was establised by suturing a transparent film in the front of the chest cavity. A stereo microscope was applied to directly observe the dynamic process of the regeneration and repair of the heart in Xenopus after cadiac injury. Results: We established a visualization model of cardiac wound healing in Xenopus laevis albino, and the survival rate of the Xenopus in this model was more than 80%. This method is rapid, low-cost, highly reproducible, easy to manipulate, and not labor-intensive. Combined with Tricaine and hypothermia methods, this model successfully achieved the dynamic observation for more than 10 days of the repiar and regeneration of injured heart in Xenopus under stereo microscope. We found the wound area of the injured heart was filled with the blood scab, and there was no bleeding in the injured heart with normal heart beating. The color of the blood scab in the wound area gradually became lighter with time, and the area of the blood scab continued to decrease. Conclusions: We have successfully established a visualization model which can monitor the dynamic process of cardiac wound healing and regeneration in Xenopus.