About this Research Topic
In this Research Topic we seek to highlight prominent advantages and limitations of the many techniques that are being used to investigate cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology. Our goal is to develop a resource that can assist basic scientists and clinicians as they broaden their tools and form new interdisciplinary collaborations. Through carefully rigorous interpretation of data new frontiers can be uncovered and explored while improving and/or maintaining scientific integrity.
For example, mitochondrial enzymatic assays are important tools for characterizing the activity and function of a single protein in isolation. However one must carefully consider the physiological implications of such results as these experiments lack the oxidative phosphorylation system Moreover, when developing an animal model the choice of the animal background has to be meticulously scrutinized. The black 6J mouse strain (C57BL/6J) has an increased life expectancy and a better response to oxidative stress . Such elemental issues now lie at the heart of intense scientific debate surrounding animal drug responsiveness and animal heart failure models.
Other examples are: solution systems with isolated actin and myosin; the comparison between demembraned loaded to membraned (un)loaded cardiomyocyte systems; explanted whole-heart approaches; in vivo hemodynamics; magnetic resonance (MR)-based approaches.
This Research Topic will feature a collection of articles that highlight essential experimental knowledge that is often implicit within each field, but falls through the cracks with larger interdisciplinary investigations. Contributors are to address topics in: cardiovascular physiology, pathophysiology, disease prevention and/or treatment while elaborating on the advantages and limitations of experimental designs. Techniques can range from basic science through clinical work. Suggested topics include: cardiac ion channels, cardiac calcium signaling, myofilaments, mitochondria, and endothelial cells/vessels.
Keywords: Tecnhiques, cardiomyocytes, mitochondria, metabolism, endothelium
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.