Differences in the Pattern of Ventricular Activation in Small Rodents Determined by Morphological Organization of the Cardiac Ventricular Conduction System

Toon A. B. Van Veen ； Lisette E. G. Hubens ； Jacques M. T. De Bakker ； Harold V. M. Van Rijen

《The Chinese Journal of Physiology》 53卷1期 (2010/02) Pp. 52-61

https://doi.org/10.4077/CJP.2010.AMK015

並列摘要

Ventricular activation of the mouse heart differs significantly compared to activation in larger mammals. Knowledge of structural and functional characteristics of laboratory animals is essential for evaluation of results obtained from experiments. The present study vas performed to evaluate whether the different pattern of activation is common to small rodents or unique for mice. Hearts of adult Wistar rats were isolated and Langendorff perfused. After removing the right and left ventricular free wall, extracellular activity of the septum and bundle branches (BB) as determined using a multi-terminal electrode harboring 247 terminals. Immunolabeling on cryosections was performed to assess expression and distribution of the gap junction proteins Connexin40 (Cx40), Cx43, Cx45, contractile (Desmin, α-actinin) and intercalated disk-related (N-cadherin, β-catenin) proteins. Collagen distribution was assessed by Sirius Red staining. Reconstruction of the left and right bundle branch (LBB and RBB) using immuno-labeling resealed that the LBB spreads all over the septal surface. The RBB too is broad, albeit to a lesser extend than LBB. A sheet of connective tissue electrically separates the common bundle and proximal BB from the septal working myocardium. Immunolabeling resealed clear differences between the conduction system and the working myocardium with respect to expression level and distribution of the different proteins anal zed. The morphological organization of the area resulted in an electrical activation pattern of the septum comparable to what is common in larger mammals: earliest activation at the midseptum via the bundle branches. From our data we conclude that the pattern of ventricular activation in the rat heart and the structure of the conduction system lit to data described for larger mammals and differ from the different pattern previously found in mouse heart.

並列關鍵字

connexin ； gap junction ； conduction system ； impulse propagation ； mice ； rats

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