The in-situ pig heart with regional ischemia/reperfusion - ready for translation

The pig heart in situ with regional myocardial ischemia and reperfusion is of unique translational value. Cardiac size, heart rate and blood pressure are similar to those in humans. The temporal and spatial development of myocardial infarction resembles that seen in humans. Technically, the pig heart permits precise control of coronary blood flow during ischemia and reperfusion, includes an intra-individual remote control zone for comparison, and permits the sequential sampling of microdialysates and biopsies for further biochemical, molecular and morphological analyses. Conceptually, all cardioprotective phenomena, including hibernation, ischemic preconditioning, ischemic postconditioning, and remote conditioning, have been demonstrated in pig hearts. The cardioprotective signalling is in part similar, but in part also different from that in rodent hearts.