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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Multiparametric Optical Mapping of the Langendorff-perfused Rabbit Heart
Published on: September 13, 2011
High resolution optical mapping of cardiac action potentials in freely beating rabbit hearts
1Department of Cardiovascular Dynamics, National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Japan.
Unlabelled:
Optical mapping of action potentials (APs) has become important tools for the cardiac electrophysiology. However, cardiac contraction unavoidably produces motion artifacts (MA) in optical signal. We developed a method to suppress motion artifacts without arresting the hearts.
Methods:
Using a dual-wavelength optical mapping system, APs were recorded on the surface of an isolated rabbit heart. Transmembrane APs were simultaneously recorded using glass microelectrodes. We eliminated MA in a frontal plane by a motion tracking technique. Subsequently, a dual-wavelength ratiometric method was used to remove MA in a vertical direction to a frontal plane.
Results:
MA were effectively removed from optical signals. Action potential duration measured from optical signals corresponded with those measured from microelectrodes (r2=0.9677). Our method enables us to map action potentials in freely beating hearts.
