HIGH RESOLUTION ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY SYSTEM

随着遗传技术的发展，转基因小鼠已成为研究基因改变对心脏发育和功能影响的主要工具之一。在开发用于小鼠体内心脏功能测量所需的高频探头之前，研究人员仅限于需要重度麻醉、气管切开术和导管插入术的侵入性测量。重复和频繁的测量要么不可能进行，要么本身就有功能性后果。现在可以通过超声心动图可靠地测量心室功能，大小和质量，具有高度的准确性和可重复性。本提案旨在获得在南卡罗来纳州医科大学（MUSC）对心血管疾病动物模型进行无创超声心动图测量所需的设备。所要求的设备已成功地用于评价胎儿和成年小鼠心脏结构和功能的研究。采集时间的改进现在允许超声心动图无需麻醉。这是一个显著的进步，因为它允许在正常心率下测量心脏功能，而不是麻醉动物的心率降低到正常心率的一半到三分之二。申请的设备是Acuson Sequoia C256超声心动图系统和远程分析站。这将在11个主要用户之间共享，并在有限的基础上提供给其他用户。该提案的具体目标如下：1）获得能够对胎儿、新生儿和成年小鼠心脏成像的超声心动图系统，2）使用该设备来提高NIH资助的研究人员的生产力，并提高MUSC研究人员和学员的研究效率和竞争力，以及3）使用该设备来促进用户之间的跨学科工作。该设备满足了对心脏发育和功能的遗传贡献进行评估的广泛需求，并将被众多用户使用。目前已具备成功操作该设备所需的人员和专门知识。这将促进跨学科研究，支持NIH资助的研究人员和学员，并提高MUSC研究人员的竞争力。

With the advancement of genetic technology, transgenic mice have become one of the primary tools used to investigate the contribution of genetic alterations on cardiac development and function. Previous to the development of the high frequency probes required for in vivo measurement of cardiac function in mice, investigators were limited to invasive measurements requiring heavy anesthesia, tracheostomy, and catheterization. Repeated and frequent measurements were either impossible to perform or a had functional consequences in and of themselves. Measurements of ventricular function, size and mass can now be reliably measured via echocardiography with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility. The purpose of this proposal is to obtain equipment necessary to perform noninvasive echocardiographic measurement of animal models of cardiovascular disease at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). The equipment requested has been successfully employed in studies evaluating both fetal and adult murine cardiac structure and function. Improvements in acquisition time now allow for echocardiography without anesthesia. This is a remarkable advancement as it allows for measurement of cardiac function at normal heart rates as opposed to anesthetized animals with decreased heart rates of one half to two thirds of normal. The equipment being requested is an Acuson Sequoia C256 Echocardiography System and remote analysis station. This will be shared among 11 Major Users and available for other users on a limited basis. The specific aims of this proposal are as follows: 1) To obtain an echocardiographic system capable of imaging fetal, neonatal, and adult mouse hearts, 2) To use this equipment to enhance the productivity of NIH-funded investigators and to improve the research efficiency and competitiveness of MUSC research and trainees, and 3) To use this facility to equipment to foster interdisciplinary work among the users. This equipment addresses a broad need for the evaluation of genetic contributions to cardiac development and function and will be employed by multitude of users. The personnel and expertise for the successful operation of the equipment is currently in place. This will foster interdisciplinary investigation, support NIH-funded investigators and trainees, and enhance the competitiveness of MUSC investigators.