A reliable, efficient, and comprehensive approach to assess myocyte remodeling in cardiac hypertrophy and failure

Interest in ventricular remodeling has increased in recent years due to the development of new therapeutic agents which may produce beneficial changes in cardiac anatomy. Data collected with new techniques have provided a clear and consistent picture of myocyte remodeling in cardiac hypertrophy and failure. A maladaptive change in cardiac myocyte shape has been demonstrated in experimental animals with heart failure and in patients with congestive heart failure due to ischemic and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. This article details an approach to collect comprehensive and reliable data on myocyte shape in an efficient manner using isolated myocytes. The methodology employs a Coulter Channelyzer (Model C256, Coulter Electronics, Inc., Hialeah, FL), a light microscope, and an image analysis system. Underlying problems associated with structural assessment of the heart are discussed and effective solutions are outlined.