Cardiovascular Screen

Coordinator:		Prof. Dr.Hugo A. Katus
Institution:		Abt. Innere Medizin III, Universität Heidelberg
Homepage:		www.med.uni-heidelberg.de/Innere-Medizin-III-Kardiologie-Angiologie-und-Pneumologie.106654.0.html

Engineered mouse models are essential tools for cardiovascular research because they facilitate studies of the phenotypic consequences of targeted or random genetic alterations in a large-scale fashion. Competing international research programs have established cardiovascular phenotyping units to make better use of the mouse models contributed by their research groups. For this reason the IG „Genetics of Myocardial Failure: From Populations to Disease Mechanisms“ (formerly Cardiovascular Disease Net in NGFN2; Speaker: Prof. Dr. H. A. Katus) has renewed its alliance with the German Mouse Clinic to aggregate cardiological expertise, staff and interdisciplinary networking in the cardiovascular primary screen in NGFN plus. This non-invasive screen includes tail-cuff blood pressure measurements in conscious mice, echocardiography in conscious or sedated mice and electrocardiography in conscious mice. At autopsy, heart and body weight are examined to detect dilated or hypertrophic hearts. Cardiovascular screening can be adapted to the specific genotypes and may not always include all measurements listed above. For mice with a relevant cardiovascular phenotype, secondary and tertiary screens with cellular and molecular analysis in Heidelberg may be added.
                   
Blood pressure measurement using tail cuffs: The non-invasive analysis measures the peripheral blood pressure in conscious mice by use of a tail-cuff inflation system. Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure are determined over a 4-day period to comprise the natural variability of the blood pressure.


High frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy: This high resolution echocardiography allows in vivo assessment of structural and functional dysfunctions. The M-Mode (time motion) analysis displays the movement of tissue structures over time providing information about contractility, ventricle diameter and wall thickness.


Additional relevant Internet links:
The German Mouse Clinic