PUBLICATION

Integration of multiple imaging platforms to uncover cardiovascular defects in adult zebrafish

Authors
Bensimon-Brito, A., Boezio, G.L.M., Cardeira-da-Silva, J., Wietelmann, A., Ramkumar, S., Lundegaard, P.R., Helker, C.S.M., Ramadass, R., Piesker, J., Nauerth, A., Mueller, C., Stainier, D.Y.R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-211006-6
Date
2021
Source
Cardiovascular research   118(12): 2665-2687 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Bensimon-Brito, Anabela, Helker, Christian, Lundegaard, Pia Rengtved, Stainier, Didier
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Cardiovascular System*
  • Echocardiography
  • Heart
  • Humans
  • Mammals
  • X-Ray Microtomography
  • Zebrafish*/genetics
PubMed
34609500 Full text @ Cardiovasc. Res.
Abstract
Mammalian models have been instrumental in investigating adult heart function and human disease. However, electrophysiological differences with human hearts and high costs motivate the need for non-mammalian models. The zebrafish is a well-established genetic model to study cardiovascular development and function; however, analysis of cardiovascular phenotypes in adult specimens is particularly challenging as they are opaque.
Here, we optimized and combined multiple imaging techniques including echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and micro-computed tomography to identify and analyze cardiovascular phenotypes in adult zebrafish. Using alk5a/tgfbr1a mutants as a case study, we observed morphological and functional cardiovascular defects that were undetected with conventional approaches. Correlation analysis of multiple parameters revealed an association between hemodynamic defects and structural alterations of the heart, as observed clinically.
We report a new, comprehensive, and sensitive platform to identify otherwise indiscernible cardiovascular phenotypes in adult zebrafish.
This study further illustrates the importance of the zebrafish model to investigate cardiovascular phenotypes including morphological and functional alterations as observed in human disease settings.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping