Scientific Core B Cardiac Imaging Core

摘要 心脏成像核心（核心B）将为所有3个项目提供服务，目标是生成共聚焦 心脏发育、结构和功能的显微镜和体内超声分析。核心B 将由医学博士迈克尔·鲁巴特执导他将提供组织共聚焦成像方面的专业知识。鲁伯特医生 将由医学博士罗纳德佩恩协助该组织将提供胚胎超声成像的专业知识， 出生后心脏发育和功能。核心B的服务通过以下方式提高项目的效率： 在从活体组织切片和心脏捕获和评估图像方面提供一致的专业知识， 分别使用共聚焦显微镜和超声心动图。核心有两个具体目标：目标1 将提供高质量的，公正的共聚焦荧光成像的产前和产后的心脏，以及 定量图像分析。目标1中使用的方法将定量评估（i）原始条纹 （ii）肌节组织和心肌细胞极性（项目1 - 3）， 和（iii）心室壁小梁形成和致密化（项目3）。将使用激光进行成像 扫描共聚焦显微镜，配备有多个激光激发线和检测器通道，以及 各种高/低放大率，高/低数值孔径物镜。Aim 2将提供高分辨率 在项目1 - 3中对出生前和出生后心脏进行体内超声成像，以生成以下定量数据： 结构、功能和血流与心脏发育中的遗传改变有关。此外，超声波 成像将允许纵向结构和功能数据的研究。超声成像将利用探头 频率范围为13至70 MHz，以及线性阵列换能器技术， 不同的发展阶段和帧采集在高速率分别。可用的分析软件 将能够量化心脏收缩性能、腔室尺寸和流动模式，包括 心内分流的检测和大小估计。总体而言，心脏成像核心中使用的技术 将能够对心脏结构和功能的变化进行无偏倚的定量评估， 在本申请的三个项目中的每一个项目中研究的遗传改变。

ABSTRACT The Cardiac Imaging Core (Core B) will provide service to all 3 projects with the goals of generating confocal microscopy- and in vivo ultrasound – based analyses of cardiac development, structure, and function. Core B will be directed by Michael Rubart, M.D., who will provide expertise in confocal imaging of tissues. Dr. Rubart will be assisted by Ronald Payne, M.D., who will provide expertise in ultrasound imaging of embryonic and postnatal cardiac development and function. Core B's services enhance the efficiency of the Projects by providing consistent expertise in the capture and evaluation of images from tissue sections and hearts in vivo, using confocal microscopy and echocardiography, respectively. There are 2 Specific Aims for the Core: Aim 1 will provide high-quality, unbiased confocal fluorescence imaging of the pre- and postnatal heart, as well as quantitative image analyses. Approaches utilized in Aim 1 will quantitatively assess (i) primitive streak formation and node polarity (Project 1), (ii) sarcomeric organization and cardiomyocyte polarity (Project 1-3), and (iii) ventricular wall trabeculation and compaction (Project 3). Imaging will be performed using a laser scanning confocal microscope equipped with multiple laser excitation lines and detector channels, as well as a variety of high/low magnification, high/low numerical aperture objectives. Aim 2 will provide high-resolution in vivo ultrasound imaging of the pre- and postnatal heart in Projects 1-3 in order to generate quantitative data of structure, function, and flow relative to genetic alterations in cardiac development. In addition, ultrasound imaging will allow the study of longitudinal structural and functional data. Ultrasound imaging will utilize probes with frequency bands from 13 to 70 MHz, and linear array transducer technology, enabling imaging of hearts at different stages of development and frame acquisition at high rates, respectively. Available analysis software will enable quantification of cardiac contractile performance, chamber dimensions, and flow pattern, including detection and size estimation of intracardiac shunts. Overall, technologies utilized in the Cardiac Imaging Core will enable unbiased, quantitative assessments of changes in cardiac structure and function as a result of genetic alterations studied in each of the three Projects of this application.