Construction and Establishment of a New Environmental Chamber to Study Real-Time Cardiac Development

• Published in: Microscopy and microanalysis Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 204 - 210
• Main Authors: Orhan, Gülay, Baron, Stephan, Norozi, Kambiz, Männer, Jörg, Hornung, Oliver, Blume, Holger, Misske, Judith, Heimann, Bodo, Wessel, Armin, Yelbuz, T. Mesud
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.06.2007; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Animal models; Animals; BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS; Cardiovascular system; Chick Embryo; Control algorithms; Embryo Culture Techniques - instrumentation; Embryo Culture Techniques - methods; Embryonic growth stage; Environmental conditions; Equipment Design; Heart; Heart - embryology; Medical research; Microscopy, Video - instrumentation; Microscopy, Video - methods; Studies; Temperature distribution; Time Factors; imaging; heart development; cardiac looping
• ISSN: 1431-9276; 1435-8115
• DOI: 10.1017/S1431927607070390

Heart development, especially the critical phase of cardiac looping, is a complex and intricate process that has not yet been visualized “live” over long periods of time. We have constructed and established a new environmental incubator chamber that provides stable conditions for embryonic development with regard to temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels. We have integrated a video microscope in the chamber to visualize the developing heart in real time and present the first “live” recordings of a chick embryo in shell-less culture acquired over a period of 2 days. The time-lapse images we show depict a significant time window that covers the most critical and typical morphogenetic events during normal cardiac looping. Our system is of interest to researchers in the field of embryogenesis, as it can be adapted to a variety of animal models for organogenesis studies including heart and limb development.