scholarly journals Animal Models of Atrial Fibrillation

2020 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Schüttler ◽  
Aneesh Bapat ◽  
Stefan Kääb ◽  
Kichang Lee ◽  
Philipp Tomsits ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Human Heart ◽  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Therapeutic Options ◽  
Mouse Heart ◽  
Vast Array ◽  
Limited Efficacy

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in humans and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality. Despite its prevalence, our mechanistic understanding is incomplete, the therapeutic options have limited efficacy, and are often fraught with risks. A better biological understanding of AF is needed to spearhead novel therapeutic avenues. Although “natural” AF is nearly nonexistent in most species, animal models have contributed significantly to our understanding of AF and some therapeutic options. However, the impediments of animal models are also apparent and stem largely from the differences in basic physiology as well as the complexities underlying human AF; these preclude the creation of a “perfect” animal model and have obviated the translation of animal findings. Herein, we review the vast array of AF models available, spanning the mouse heart (weighing 1/1000th of a human heart) to the horse heart (10× heavier than the human heart). We attempt to highlight the features of each model that bring value to our understanding of AF but also the shortcomings and pitfalls. Finally, we borrowed the concept of a SWOT analysis from the business community (which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and applied this introspective type of analysis to animal models for AF. We identify unmet needs and stress that is in the context of rapidly advancing technologies, these present opportunities for the future use of animal models.

Atrial fibrillation: management following an acute presentation

2002 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 79-85
Author(s):  
DK Satchithananda ◽  
◽  
A Macnab ◽  
AJF Page ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Therapeutic Options ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Acute Presentation ◽  
Clinical Presentations

The treatment of atrial fibrillation is perceived to be complex due to its varied clinical presentations and numerous potential therapeutic options. Our article aims to provide the physician with a framework of basic principles with which to assess and treat patients with atrial fibrillation who present acutely.

Animal Research for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Its Limited Translation for Clinical Benefit, and the Way Forward

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeeshan Ali ◽  
P. Charukeshi Chandrasekera ◽  
John J. Pippin
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Animal Research ◽  
Therapeutic Options ◽  
Research Findings

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have reached pandemic proportions worldwide, and considerable research efforts have been dedicated to investigating disease pathology and therapeutic options. The two hallmark features of T2DM, insulin resistance and pancreatic dysfunction, have been studied extensively by using various animal models. Despite the knowledge acquired from such models, particularly mechanistic discoveries that sometimes mimic human T2DM mechanisms or pathways, many details of human T2DM pathogenesis remain unknown, therapeutic options remain limited, and a cure has eluded research. Emerging human data have raised concern regarding inter-species differences at many levels (e.g. in gene regulation, pancreatic cytoarchitecture, glucose transport, and insulin secretion regulation), and the subsequent impact of these differences on the clinical translation of animal research findings. Therefore, it is important to recognise and address the translational gap between basic animal-based research and the clinical advances needed to prevent and treat T2DM. The purpose of this report is to identify some limitations of T2DM animal research, and to propose how greater human relevance and applicability of hypothesis-driven basic T2DM research could be achieved through the use of human-based data acquisition at various biological levels. This report addresses how in vitro, in vivo and in silico technologies could be used to investigate particular aspects of human glucose regulation. We do not propose that T2DM animal research has been without value in the identification of mechanisms, pathways, or potential targets for therapies, nor do we claim that human-based methods can provide all the answers. We recognise that the ultimate goal of T2DM animal research is to identify ways to advance the prevention, recognition and treatment of T2DM in humans, but postulate that this is where the use of animal models falls short, despite decades of effort. The best way to achieve this goal is by prioritising human-centred research.

Rotors in Animal Models of Atrial Fibrillation

2019 ◽  
pp. 330-342
Author(s):  
Omer Berenfeld ◽  
David Filgueiras-Rama ◽  
Makarand Deo
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Animal Models

scholarly journals Characteristics, treatment patterns, and unmet needs of Japanese patients with atrial fibrillation

2013 ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco DiBonaventura ◽  
Koretsune ◽  
Rossi ◽  
Kazuya Iwamoto ◽  
Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Japanese Patients ◽  
Treatment Patterns

scholarly journals A novel computational sheep atria model for the study of atrial fibrillation

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 20120067 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy D. Butters ◽  
Oleg V. Aslanidi ◽  
Jichao Zhao ◽  
Bruce Smaill ◽  
Henggui Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Pulmonary Veins ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Detailed Computer ◽  
Atrial Cell ◽  
Atrial Excitation

Sheep are often used as animal models for experimental studies into the underlying mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias. Previous studies have shown that biophysically detailed computer models of the heart provide a powerful alternative to experimental animal models for underpinning such mechanisms. In this study, we have developed a family of mathematical models for the electrical action potentials of various sheep atrial cell types. The developed cell models were then incorporated into a three-dimensional anatomical model of the sheep atria, which was recently reconstructed and segmented based on anatomical features within different regions. This created a novel biophysically detailed computational model of the three-dimensional sheep atria. Using the model, we then investigated the mechanisms by which paroxysmal rapid focal activity in the pulmonary veins can transit to sustained atrial fibrillation. It was found that the anisotropic property of the atria arising from the fibre structure plays an important role in facilitating the development of fibrillatory atrial excitation waves, and the electrical heterogeneity plays an important role in its initiation.

scholarly journals Connexin40 abnormalities and atrial fibrillation in the human heart

2014 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Gemel ◽  
Andrew E. Levy ◽  
Adria R. Simon ◽  
Katherine B. Bennett ◽  
Xun Ai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Human Heart
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