Single sarcomere imaging in the living heart

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23790254
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: Jikei University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: TERUI Takako 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (10366247)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 心筋 / 収縮メカニクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The molecular mechanisms of myocardial contraction in vivo have not been clarified due primarily to technical difficulties. A novel system which allows for real-time single sarcomere imaging in the living heart was developed. First, in order to directly observe sarcomeric contractions from the surface of the heart, Qdots, conjugated with anti-alfa-actinin antibody, were transfected in the LV under artificial ventilation, allowing us to observe striated patterns (-2 μm) along cardiomyocytes. Next, an expression system of GFP-alfa-actinin with an ADV vector, and injected it into the Left ventricle of the rat. Real time sarcomere imaging becomes possible by high time and the spatial resolution. Furthermore, myocardial contraction and relaxation movement at the various conditions are visualized with circulation device ex vivo. Accordingly, we could successfully image the oscillations of sarcomeres in cardiomyocytes from the surface of the heart.

Free Research Field

循環生理学