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Updated: Oct 26, 2025
Isolation, Culture, and Functional Characterization of Adult Mouse Cardiomyoctyes
Published on: September 24, 2013
Isolation of Adult Mouse Cardiomyocytes Using Langendorff Perfusion Apparatus
Yang Liu1, David E Dostal2, Carl W Tong2
1Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Brain, TX, USA. Piaoguo1998@gmail.com.
Insights
This study presents a straightforward method for isolating adult mouse cardiomyocytes using Langendorff perfusion. This technique is crucial for studying heart conditions like hypertrophy and failure in vitro.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cell Biology
- Physiology
Background:
- Heart disease is a leading cause of mortality in the US.
- Studying adult cardiomyocytes is vital for understanding cardiac function and disease.
- Isolating adult cardiomyocytes is difficult due to cell-cell adhesion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reliable protocol for isolating adult mouse cardiomyocytes.
- To facilitate in vitro studies using genetically modified mouse models.
- To support research on cardiomyocyte contractility, hypertrophy, and cardiac failure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Langendorff perfusion apparatus for heart isolation.
- Employed calcium depletion and collagenase digestion for cell separation.
- Minced and filtered left ventricles, followed by CaCl2 treatment.
Main Results:
- Successfully isolated viable adult mouse cardiomyocytes.
- Developed a straightforward and reproducible isolation protocol.
- The isolated cells are suitable for various experimental applications.
Conclusions:
- The described method provides a robust approach for adult cardiomyocyte isolation.
- This protocol supports research into heart disease mechanisms and drug screening.
- Enables advanced in vitro studies with adult cardiac myocytes.
Abstract:
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Isolation and culture adult cardiomyocytes are important for studying cardiomyocyte contractility, heart hypertrophy, and cardiac failure. In contrast to neonatal cardiomyocyte isolation, adult mice cardiomyocytes isolation is challenging due to firm connections among cardiomyocytes through intercalated discs. The availability of newly generated genetically modified mouse lines requires to establish protocols to isolation and culture adult mouse cardiomyocyte for in vitro studies. In this manuscript, we described a straightforward method of isolating adult mouse cardiomyocytes using Langendorff perfusion apparatus. Briefly, the hearts were harvested from adult mice and the heart was mounted to Lagendorff apparatus. After perfusion with calcium depletion and collagenase digestion, the left ventricles were minced and filtered. Lastly, the separated cardiomyocytes were treated with CaCl2. The isolated cardiac myocytes can be utilized in a broad range of experiments including screening for drugs.
