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Isolated heart models: cardiovascular system studies and technological advances

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Abstract

Isolated heart model is a relevant tool for cardiovascular system studies. It represents a highly reproducible model for studying broad spectrum of biochemical, physiological, morphological, and pharmaceutical parameters, including analysis of intrinsic heart mechanics, metabolism, and coronary vascular response. Results obtained in this model are under no influence of other organ systems, plasma concentration of hormones or ions and influence of autonomic nervous system. The review describes various isolated heart models, the modes of heart perfusion, and advantages and limitations of various experimental setups. It reports the improvements of perfusion setup according to Langendorff introduced by the authors.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grant Projects GAP102/12/2034 and by the European Regional Development Fund—Project FNUSA-ICRC No. CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0123.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Veronika Olejnickova & Marie Novakova

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 3082/12, 616 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Ivo Provaznik

  3. International Clinical Research Center, Center of Biomedical Engineering, St. Anne’s University Hospital Brno, Pekarska 53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic

    Marie Novakova & Ivo Provaznik

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  1. Veronika Olejnickova
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  2. Marie Novakova
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Correspondence to Marie Novakova.

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Olejnickova, V., Novakova, M. & Provaznik, I. Isolated heart models: cardiovascular system studies and technological advances. Med Biol Eng Comput 53, 669–678 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-015-1270-2

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