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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
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Isolation, Culture, and Functional Characterization of Adult Mouse Cardiomyoctyes
Published on: September 24, 2013
Direct aldosterone action on mouse cardiomyocytes detected with atomic force microscopy
Katrin Kliche1, Michaela Kuhn, Uta Hillebrand
1Institute of Physiology II, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Summary
Aldosterone directly remodels heart cells (cardiomyocytes) by increasing plasma membrane roughness at the nanoscopic level. This cellular membrane remodeling by aldosterone was confirmed using atomic force microscopy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Aldosterone is implicated in cardiac cellular remodeling and hypertrophy.
- The direct cellular mechanisms of aldosterone's action on cardiomyocytes remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether aldosterone directly affects cardiomyocytes.
- To quantify aldosterone-induced changes in cardiomyocyte volume and plasma membrane surface using atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Main Methods:
- Primary cultures of neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes were treated with aldosterone (100 nM) or vehicle.
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure cell volume and plasma membrane surface properties at microscopic and nanoscopic levels.
- Spironolactone, an aldosterone receptor antagonist, was used to block aldosterone's effects.
Main Results:
- Aldosterone did not alter cardiomyocyte volume or overall cell surface area at the microscopic level.
- Nanoscopic analysis revealed a significant increase in plasma membrane nano-enfoldings (roughness) induced by aldosterone.
- Spironolactone completely prevented the aldosterone-mediated increase in plasma membrane roughness.
Conclusions:
- Aldosterone directly acts on cardiomyocytes.
- Microscopic examination does not reveal changes in cell volume or surface area.
- Aldosterone induces nanoscale plasma membrane remodeling, specifically increasing membrane roughness in cardiomyocytes.
