Imaging cellular signals in the heart in vivo: Cardiac expression of the high-signal Ca2+ indicator GCaMP2.

ABSTRACT: Genetically encoded sensor proteins provide unique opportunities to advance the understanding of complex cellular interactions in physiologically relevant contexts; however, previously described sensors have proved to be of limited use to report cell signaling in vivo in mammals. Here, we describe an improved Ca(2+) sensor, GCaMP2, its inducible expression in the mouse heart, and its use to examine signaling in heart cells in vivo. The high brightness and stability of GCaMP2 enable the measurement of myocyte Ca(2+) transients in all regions of the beating mouse heart and prolonged pacing and mapping studies in isolated, perfused hearts. Transgene expression is efficiently temporally regulated in cardiomyocyte GCaMP2 mice, allowing recording of in vivo signals 4 weeks after transgene induct

SUBMITTER: Tallini YN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1450242 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature