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The ECG in cardiovascular-relevant animal models of electrophysiology

Das EKG von kardiovaskulär-relevanten Tiermodellen in der Elektrophysiologie

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Abstract

The most frequently used animal species in experimental cardiac electrophysiology are mice, rabbits, and dogs. Murine and human electrocardiograms (ECGs) show salient differences, including the occurrence of a pronounced J-wave and a less distinctive T-wave in the murine ECG. Mouse models can resemble human cardiac arrhythmias, although mice differ from human in cardiac electrophysiology. Thus, arrhythmia mechanisms in mice may differ from those in humans and should be transferred to the human situation with caution. Further relevant cardiovascular animal models are rabbits, dogs, and minipigs, as they show similarities of cardiac ion channel distribution with the human heart and are suitable to study ventricular repolarization or pro- and antiarrhythmic drug effects. ECG recordings in large animals like goats and horses are feasible. Both goats and horses are a suitable animal model to study atrial fibrillation (AF) mechanisms. Horses frequently show spontaneous AF due to their high vagal tone and large atria. The zebrafish has become an important animal model. Models in “exotic” animals such as kangaroos may be suitable for particular studies.

Zusammenfassung

Die wichtigsten elektrophysiologischen Tiermodelle sind das Maus-, Kaninchenund Hundeherz. Das Maus- und Mensch-EKG zeigen bedeutende Unterschiede wie eine ausgeprägte J Welle und eine allenfalls gering ausgebildete T Welle im Maus-EKG. Mäuse können trotz Unterschieden in der Elektrophysiologie zwischen Maus und Mensch humane Arrhythmien nachahmen. Daher können sich Arrhythmiemechanismen der Maus von denen im Menschen unterscheiden und sollten daher mit Behutsamkeit auf den Menschen übertragen werden. Kaninchen, Hunde und Schweine sind weitere relevante Tiermodelle und zeigen Ähnlichkeiten mit dem menschlichen Herzen in der Ionenkanalverteilung und sind daher ein geeignetes Model zur Untersuchung der ventrikulären Repolarisation und von pro- und antiarrhythmischen Medikamenteneffekten. EKGs können zudem auch in Ziegen und Pferden aufgezeichnet werden. Ziegen und Pferde sind geeignete Modelle zur Untersuchung von Vorhofflimmermechanismen. Bei Pferden tritt aufgrund des hohen Vagotonus und der großen Vorhofe häufig spontan Vorhofflimmern auf. Der Zebrafisch hat sich zu einem wichtigen Tiermodell entwickelt. „Exotische“ Tiere wie Kängurus sind für bestimmte Fragestellungen geeignete Modelle.

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Conflict of interests

The authors declare that there are no actual or potential conflicts of interest in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Electrophysiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany

    Sven Kaese, Gerrit Frommeyer, Günter Breithardt & Lars Eckardt

  2. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands

    Sander Verheule

  3. Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium

    Gunther van Loon

  4. Medical Practice for Congenital Heart Disease and Pediatric Cardiology, Muenster, Germany

    Josef Gehrmann

  5. Abteilung für Rhythmologie, Department für Kardiologie und Angiologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, A1 48149, Muenster, Germany

    Sven Kaese

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  1. Sven Kaese
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  2. Gerrit Frommeyer
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  3. Sander Verheule
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  4. Gunther van Loon
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  7. Lars Eckardt
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Correspondence to Sven Kaese.

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Kaese, S., Frommeyer, G., Verheule, S. et al. The ECG in cardiovascular-relevant animal models of electrophysiology. Herzschr Elektrophys 24, 84–91 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-013-0260-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-013-0260-z

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