German Heart Center Berlin (DHZB)

3 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Biology

Paraffin-Embedded and Frozen Sections of Drosophila Adult Muscles

Mariya M. Kucherenko¹, April K. Marrone¹, Valentyna M. Rishko¹, Andriy S. Yatsenko¹, Annekatrin Klepzig¹, Halyna R. Shcherbata¹

¹Gene Expression and Signaling Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry

Identification of mechanisms underlying muscle damage is crucial. Here we present the histological technique for preparing paraffin-embedded and frozen sections of Drosophila thoracic muscles. This allows analysis of muscle morphology and localization of protein and other muscle cell components.

Biology

Measurement of Metabolic Rate in Drosophila using Respirometry

Andriy S. Yatsenko¹, April K. Marrone¹, Mariya M. Kucherenko¹, Halyna R. Shcherbata¹

¹Max Planck Research Group of Gene Expression and Signaling, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry

Metabolic disorders are among one of the most common diseases in humans. The genetically tractable model organism D. melanogaster can be used to identify novel genes that regulate metabolism. This paper describes a relatively simple method which allows studying the metabolic rate in flies by measuring their CO₂production.

Medicine

A Model of Reverse Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Left Heart Disease by Aortic Debanding in Rats

Pengchao Sang^1,2,3, Mariya M. Kucherenko^1,2,3, Juquan Yao², Qiuhua Li², Szandor Simmons^2,3, Wolfgang M. Kuebler^*2,3, Christoph Knosalla^*1,3,4

¹Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, German Heart Center Berlin (DHZB), ²Institute of Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, ³DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, ⁴Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health

The present protocol describes a surgical procedure to remove ascending-aortic banding in a rat model of pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease. This technique studies endogenous mechanisms of reverse remodeling in the pulmonary circulation and the right heart, thus informing strategies to reverse pulmonary hypertension and/or right ventricular dysfunction.