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Rodent myocardial infarction models are widely used in cardiovascular research to study the pathophysiology of heart disease, test potential therapies, and explore mechanisms of cardiac injury and repair. These models simulate the effects of a heart attack (myocardial infarction) in rodents, typically rats or mice, which allows researchers to investigate the impact of MI on the heart and evaluate various treatment strategies.
Types of Rodent Myocardial Infarction Models
Permanent Coronary Occlusion (Ligature Model)
This is one of the most common models, where a coronary artery is permanently occluded (typically the left anterior descending artery, or LAD) to induce ischemia and infarction. The ligation results in the obstruction of blood flow to a region of the heart, causing myocardial cell death. This model is used to study the effects of ischemia and infarction and test the efficacy of potential treatments.
Transient Coronary Occlusion (Ischemia/Reperfusion Model)
In this model, the coronary artery is temporarily occluded and then reperfused after a set duration (typically 30-60 minutes). This simulates the clinical scenario of a heart attack followed by reperfusion therapy. Researchers use this model to study ischemia-reperfusion injury, which can cause damage to the myocardium due to oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.
Cryoinjury Model
In this model, controlled freezing of the myocardium is performed to induce localized myocardial injury. It is often used for studying post-infarction repair, scar formation, and cardiac remodeling. This model allows researchers to examine the effects of therapeutic interventions on scar tissue and regeneration.
Coronary Microembolization Model
In this model, microemboli are injected into the coronary circulation, causing multiple small infarcts in the heart muscle. It is commonly used to simulate the effects of small vessel disease and to study the progression of heart failure following minor but repeated ischemic events.