Simultaneous imaging of calcium and contraction in the beating heart of zebrafish larvae.

ABSTRACT: In vivo models of cardiac function maintain the complex relationship of cardiomyocytes with other heart cells, as well as the paracrine and mechanoelectrical feedback mechanisms. We aimed at imaging calcium transients simultaneously with heart contraction in zebrafish larvae. Methods: To image calcium in beating hearts, we generated a zebrafish transgenic line expressing the FRET-based ratiometric biosensor Twitch-4. Since emission ratioing canceled out the motion artifacts, we did not use myosin inhibitors or tnnt2a morpholinos to uncouple contraction from changes in calcium levels. We wrote an analysis program to automatically calculate kinetic parameters of the calcium transients. In addition, the ventricular diameter was determined in the fluorescence images provid

SUBMITTER: Salgado-Almario J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8771564 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature