Optical coherence tomography captures rapid hemodynamic responses to acute hypoxia in the cardiovascular system of early embryos
Open Access
- 3 January 2012
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Developmental Dynamics
- Vol. 241 (3), 534-544
- https://doi.org/10.1002/dvdy.23727
Abstract
Background: The trajectory to heart defects may start in tubular and looping heart stages when detailed analysis of form and function is difficult by currently available methods. We used a novel method, Doppler optical coherence tomography (OCT), to follow changes in cardiovascular function in quail embryos during acute hypoxic stress. Chronic fetal hypoxia is a known risk factor for congenital heart diseases (CHDs). Decreased fetal heart rates during maternal obstructive sleep apnea suggest that studying fetal heart responses under acute hypoxia is warranted. Results: We captured responses to hypoxia at the critical looping heart stages. Doppler OCT revealed detailed vitelline arterial pulsed Doppler waveforms. Embryos tolerated 1 hr of hypoxia (5%, 10%, or 15% O2), but exhibited changes including decreased systolic and increased diastolic duration in 5 min. After 5 min, slower heart rates, arrhythmic events and an increase in retrograde blood flow were observed. These changes suggested slower filling of the heart, which was confirmed by four‐dimensional Doppler imaging of the heart itself. Conclusions: Doppler OCT is well suited for rapid noninvasive screening for functional changes in avian embryos under near physiological conditions. Analysis of the accessible vitelline artery sensitively reflected changes in heart function and can be used for rapid screening. Acute hypoxia caused rapid hemodynamic changes in looping hearts and may be a concern for increased CHD risk. Developmental Dynamics 241:534–544, 2012.Keywords
This publication has 76 references indexed in Scilit:
- In utero phenotyping of mouse embryonic vasculature with MRIMagnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2011
- Measuring hemodynamics in the developing heart tube with four-dimensional gated Doppler optical coherence tomographyJournal of Biomedical Optics, 2010
- Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Microimaging of Mouse DevelopmentMethods in Enzymology, 2010
- The Effects of Hemodynamic Force on Embryonic DevelopmentMicrocirculation, 2010
- Review: The Placenta is a Programming Agent for Cardiovascular DiseasePlacenta, 2010
- Reversing Blood Flows Act through klf2a to Ensure Normal Valvulogenesis in the Developing HeartPLoS Biology, 2009
- Hypoxia Induces Dilated Cardiomyopathy in the Chick Embryo: Mechanism, Intervention, and Long-Term ConsequencesPLOS ONE, 2009
- Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2009 UpdateCell Metabolism, 2009
- A series of normal stages in the development of the chick embryoDevelopmental Dynamics, 1992
- Nonparametric Estimation from Incomplete ObservationsJournal of the American Statistical Association, 1958