| First Author | Mokshagundam D | Year | 2021 |
| Journal | Ultrasound Med Biol | Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 751-758 |
| PubMed ID | 33293111 | Mgi Jnum | J:320918 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6883535 | Doi | 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.11.008 |
| Citation | Mokshagundam D, et al. (2021) Ultrahigh-Frequency Echocardiography of Autonomic Devoid Phox2B Homozygous Embryos Does Not Reveal a Significant Cardiac Phenotype before Embryo Death. Ultrasound Med Biol 47(3):751-758 |
| abstractText | In vivo micro-imaging of mice is useful in studying the genetic basis of cardiac development in mutant embryos. We examined Phox2b(-/-) mutant mice, which lack autonomic innervation to the heart and die in utero, and investigated whether this lack of innervation causes cardiac dysfunction during embryogenesis. A VisualSonics Vevo 2100 ultrahigh-frequency linear array ultrasound machine with 30- and 40-MHz probes was used to analyze embryo size, gross characteristics, ventricular contractility and rhythm. Phox2b(-/-) mutant embryos underwent cessation of heartbeat and death at a greater rate than wild-type controls. We did not observe a hydrops phenotype or congenital heart defects in Phox2b(-/-) mutants. Analysis of heart rhythm revealed no significant correlation with genotype. Absent these signs of a progressive pathology, we suggest that Phox2b(-/-) mutant embryos likely die of sudden death secondary to acute arrhythmia. These data provide insight into the role of cardiac autonomic innervation during development. |
