Optical mapping design for murine atrial electrophysiology

Abstract

Optical mapping is an important tool for assessment of cardiac electrophysiology. We demonstrate a system for quantification and automatic measurement of electrophysiological parameters in isolated cardiac tissue. The system makes use of voltage sensitive fluorescent dyes. These shift in wavelength in response to millivolt changes in potential across cell membranes located on the left atrium. Automated analysis of the pixel-wise measurements yields information on action potential durations and isochronal maps allowing for high throughput of data analysis. The algorithms that we propose reliably describe activation sequences and allow for quantification of conduction velocities.

Keywords:

• Optical mapping
• cardiovascular disease
• voltage imaging
• electrophysiology
• action potential duration

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the PSIBS Doctoral Training Centre for the funding of T.Y. Yu and the other members of the Fabritz–Kirchhof group. The Medical Imaging and Image Interpretation Group, University of Birmingham for their support and expertise regarding optics. The University of Birmingham, Centre of Cardiovascular Sciences Preliminary Research Grant to L. Fabritz.

Notes

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by British Heart Foundation; Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [EP/F50053X/1]; The European Network for Translational Research in Atrial Fibrillation.