Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling

Investigating mechanisms of heart disease, its progression, and developing therapeutics that target cardiac remodeling often requires translational model organisms. In vivo, rodent models have been well established as a means to explore heart pathologies for their physiologic similarities, low cost,...

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Main Authors: Cary Karcher, Anthony Campbell, Dov Levine, Morgan Moroi, Yaagnik Kosuri, Arianna Adamo, Giovanni Ferrari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:MethodsX
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016125002638
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author Cary Karcher
Anthony Campbell
Dov Levine
Morgan Moroi
Yaagnik Kosuri
Arianna Adamo
Giovanni Ferrari
author_facet Cary Karcher
Anthony Campbell
Dov Levine
Morgan Moroi
Yaagnik Kosuri
Arianna Adamo
Giovanni Ferrari
author_sort Cary Karcher
collection DOAJ
description Investigating mechanisms of heart disease, its progression, and developing therapeutics that target cardiac remodeling often requires translational model organisms. In vivo, rodent models have been well established as a means to explore heart pathologies for their physiologic similarities, low cost, reproducibility, and breeding efficiency. Chemical fixation and harvest of cardiovascular structures is an essential preliminary step to histological assessment that enables the characterization of macro and subtle tissue changes. Our method establishes a novel and reproducible strategy for optimal cardiac perfusion, cardiectomy, and chemical fixation of the whole rodent heart. Our non-survival, microscope-assisted surgical technique allows for robust and efficient fixation of the rodent myocardium, heart valves, and vasculature preserving precious features in preparatory steps for histological staining. • Optimized method to sample blood, exsanguinate and thoroughly perfuse fixative through the left and right side of the whole rodent heart. • Protocol is atraumatic to the ventricles and surrounding structures; Injections are into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and left atrium. • Performed using accessible microsurgical tools and aided by a dissecting light microscope.This novel method optimizes the preservation of rodent myocardium for histological study without the drawbacks of the current standard technique, which punctures the myocardium and inadequately evacuates blood products from the heart and vessels.
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spelling doaj-art-e64ee4a28b934071a50a618fd60d72fe2025-08-20T02:35:36ZengElsevierMethodsX2215-01612025-06-011410341710.1016/j.mex.2025.103417Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodelingCary Karcher0Anthony Campbell1Dov Levine2Morgan Moroi3Yaagnik Kosuri4Arianna Adamo5Giovanni Ferrari6Department of Surgery, Columbia University; New York, NY 10032, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Columbia University; New York, NY 10032, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Columbia University; New York, NY 10032, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Columbia University; New York, NY 10032, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Columbia University; New York, NY 10032, United StatesDepartment of Surgery, Columbia University; New York, NY 10032, United StatesCorresponding author.; Department of Surgery, Columbia University; New York, NY 10032, United StatesInvestigating mechanisms of heart disease, its progression, and developing therapeutics that target cardiac remodeling often requires translational model organisms. In vivo, rodent models have been well established as a means to explore heart pathologies for their physiologic similarities, low cost, reproducibility, and breeding efficiency. Chemical fixation and harvest of cardiovascular structures is an essential preliminary step to histological assessment that enables the characterization of macro and subtle tissue changes. Our method establishes a novel and reproducible strategy for optimal cardiac perfusion, cardiectomy, and chemical fixation of the whole rodent heart. Our non-survival, microscope-assisted surgical technique allows for robust and efficient fixation of the rodent myocardium, heart valves, and vasculature preserving precious features in preparatory steps for histological staining. • Optimized method to sample blood, exsanguinate and thoroughly perfuse fixative through the left and right side of the whole rodent heart. • Protocol is atraumatic to the ventricles and surrounding structures; Injections are into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and left atrium. • Performed using accessible microsurgical tools and aided by a dissecting light microscope.This novel method optimizes the preservation of rodent myocardium for histological study without the drawbacks of the current standard technique, which punctures the myocardium and inadequately evacuates blood products from the heart and vessels.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016125002638Microscope-Assisted Rodent Whole Heart Perfusion Fixation
spellingShingle Cary Karcher
Anthony Campbell
Dov Levine
Morgan Moroi
Yaagnik Kosuri
Arianna Adamo
Giovanni Ferrari
Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling
MethodsX
Microscope-Assisted Rodent Whole Heart Perfusion Fixation
title Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling
title_full Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling
title_fullStr Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling
title_full_unstemmed Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling
title_short Microscope-assisted, rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling
title_sort microscope assisted rodent whole heart perfusion fixation for histological characterization of myocardium remodeling
topic Microscope-Assisted Rodent Whole Heart Perfusion Fixation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016125002638
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