In Vivo Cardiac Electrophysiology in Mice: Determination of Atrial and Ventricular Arrhythmic Substrates

Authors

Jose Alberto Navarro-Garcia
Florian Bruns
Oliver M Moore
Marcel A Tekook
Dobromir Dobrev
Christina Y Miyake
Xander H T Wehrens

Publication Date

2-1-2024

Journal

Current Protocols

DOI

10.1002/cpz1.994

PMID

38372479

PMCID

PMC10883620

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

2-1-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Published Open-Access

yes

Keywords

Mice, Animals, Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac, Arrhythmias, Cardiac, Heart Ventricles, Heart Atria, Electric Stimulation, Arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, mouse, programmed electrical stimulation

Abstract

Cardiac arrhythmias are a common cardiac condition that might lead to fatal outcomes. A better understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of arrhythmia mechanisms is necessary for the development of better treatment modalities. To aid these efforts, various mouse models have been developed for studying cardiac arrhythmias. Both genetic and surgical mouse models are commonly used to assess the incidence and mechanisms of arrhythmias. Since spontaneous arrhythmias are uncommon in healthy young mice, intracardiac programmed electrical stimulation (PES) can be performed to assess the susceptibility to pacing-induced arrhythmias and uncover the possible presence of a proarrhythmogenic substrate. This procedure is performed by positioning an octapolar catheter inside the right atrium and ventricle of the heart through the right jugular vein. PES can provide insights into atrial and ventricular electrical activity and reveal whether atrial and/or ventricular arrhythmias are present or can be induced. Here, we explain in detail the procedures used to perform this technique, possible troubleshooting scenarios, and methods to interpret the results obtained.