Application note: Explore cardiac function by measuring calcium oscillation or contraction patterns

Understanding the impact of drugs on the cardiac system early in the development process is critical to improving the safety of drugs getting to market.

Cardiotoxicity is believed to be one of the primary causes of drug attrition during preclinical and clinical trials. In addition, environmental chemical exposure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, yet a number of environmental agents remain inadequately tested for their toxicological effects.

Here, Molecular Devices scientists demonstrate how you can record Ca²⁺ oscillation in 2D and 3D cardiomyocyte samples, analyze complex kinetic patterns, measure fluorescence over time and generate multi-parametric peak data using the ImageXpress Micro Confocal system.