Contacts:
Yibing Nong, MD, PhD, Director of Physiology Core
Yibing.Nong@Louisville.edu
Kenneth Brittian, Physiology Core Manager
The Core provides rigorously standardized in vivo surgical and physiological services designed to support reproducible, translational research and preclinical development. Our team performs a broad portfolio of complex animal surgeries, including myocardial ischemia with or without reperfusion, transverse aortic constriction, apical resection, intracardiac injection, arterial and venous catheterization, splenic transplantation, and radiotelemetry implantation, among others.
Yibing Nong, MD, PhD, Director of Physiology Core
Yibing.Nong@Louisville.edu
Kenneth Brittian, Physiology Core Manager
The Core provides rigorously standardized in vivo surgical and physiological services designed to support reproducible, translational research and preclinical development. Our team performs a broad portfolio of complex animal surgeries, including myocardial ischemia with or without reperfusion, transverse aortic constriction, apical resection, intracardiac injection, arterial and venous catheterization, splenic transplantation, and radiotelemetry implantation, among others.
Cardiac structure and function are assessed using validated, high-fidelity methodologies, including echocardiography, pressure–volume loop analysis, and electrophysiological studies. These platforms enable consistent data generation across studies and investigators.
In addition to cardiovascular applications, the Core supports advanced surgical and ultrasound-based procedures in other organ systems, extending access to these capabilities across the Center and campus. All services are delivered using standardized protocols, quality controls, and experienced technical staff to ensure reproducibility, scalability, and seamless integration into multi-investigator and industry-partnered research programs.
High-frequency high resolution preclinical ultrasound systems
The Core houses two NIH S10-funded high-end preclinical ultrasound instruments: VisualSonics Vevo 3100 (NIH S10OD025178) and the latest model Vevo F2 (NIH S10OD038345). Both systems utilize a non-invasive ultrasound-based method for viewing extremely small physiological structures in mice. These real-time, in vivo imaging systems have a spatial resolution down to 30 microns (the highest resolution available), a temporal resolution up to 316 frame per second for real-time imaging and up to 10kHz for electrocardiogram-gated Kilohertz Visualization (EKV) imaging. They also provide advanced imaging modules such as 4D, speckle tracking strain, contrast, elastography, and bioengineering oriented raw unprocessed radiofrequency (RF) imaging.
The Core houses two NIH S10-funded high-end preclinical ultrasound instruments: VisualSonics Vevo 3100 (NIH S10OD025178) and the latest model Vevo F2 (NIH S10OD038345). Both systems utilize a non-invasive ultrasound-based method for viewing extremely small physiological structures in mice. These real-time, in vivo imaging systems have a spatial resolution down to 30 microns (the highest resolution available), a temporal resolution up to 316 frame per second for real-time imaging and up to 10kHz for electrocardiogram-gated Kilohertz Visualization (EKV) imaging. They also provide advanced imaging modules such as 4D, speckle tracking strain, contrast, elastography, and bioengineering oriented raw unprocessed radiofrequency (RF) imaging.
Surgery Stations
The Core has six surgery stations. Each station is equipped with a dissecting microscope (Olympus/Nikon); a light source and fiber optics; a mouse ventilator (Hugo Sachs) connected to supplemental oxygen; an automatic, temperature-regulated heat lamp; a continuously heated water blanket (Braintree Science) to ensure core body temperature is maintained at 36.5–37.5°C; and a ECG monitoring system (AdInstruments) record vital signs of the animal during surgeries. The Core can also provide a SomnoFlo Vaporizer system for low volume isoflurane anesthesia upon request.
The Core has six surgery stations. Each station is equipped with a dissecting microscope (Olympus/Nikon); a light source and fiber optics; a mouse ventilator (Hugo Sachs) connected to supplemental oxygen; an automatic, temperature-regulated heat lamp; a continuously heated water blanket (Braintree Science) to ensure core body temperature is maintained at 36.5–37.5°C; and a ECG monitoring system (AdInstruments) record vital signs of the animal during surgeries. The Core can also provide a SomnoFlo Vaporizer system for low volume isoflurane anesthesia upon request.
Invasive Catheterization Hemodynamics System
The Core is equipped with two mainstream Pressure-Volume Loop systems: traditional Millar conductance MPVS system, and Transonic Sciences ADV 500 conductance/ admittance system. The later advanced system can simultaneously and continuously measure left ventricular pressure and volume in intact small animals. It automatically calibrates the volume signal with admittance technology to eliminate the need for hypertonic saline injections and cuvette calibrations. The system is equipped with two catheters for smaller (3.5 mm) or larger (4.5 mm) mice to acquire the most accurate hemodynamic measurements. The LabScribe data acquisition software (LabScribe v5) is used to record and analyze hemodynamic data online/offline.
The Core is equipped with two mainstream Pressure-Volume Loop systems: traditional Millar conductance MPVS system, and Transonic Sciences ADV 500 conductance/ admittance system. The later advanced system can simultaneously and continuously measure left ventricular pressure and volume in intact small animals. It automatically calibrates the volume signal with admittance technology to eliminate the need for hypertonic saline injections and cuvette calibrations. The system is equipped with two catheters for smaller (3.5 mm) or larger (4.5 mm) mice to acquire the most accurate hemodynamic measurements. The LabScribe data acquisition software (LabScribe v5) is used to record and analyze hemodynamic data online/offline.
The Core also has two additional catheter systems for pressure recording: Millar SPR-1000 (1F, 0.33mm) and Opsense Optical fiber M200 (0.6F, 0.20mm). These catheters can be used alone for blood pressure monitoring or be integrated with other instruments such as Vevo ultrasound system for simultaneous pressure and volume measurements. The Opsense system is MRI capable and therefore provides a unique opportunity for blood pressure recording during MRI on small animals.
The DSI telemetry system can be integrated with the Sable Systems in the Metabolic Profiling Core to study the link between circadian, sleep, diet, exercise, neurophysiologic states and whole-animal metabolic function under controlled conditions.
Small Animal Telemetry
In addition to traditional telemetry for ECG, blood glucose, blood pressure, or body temperature, the Core also houses a complete 8 channel telemetry system (Data Sciences International, DSI) used to simultaneously measure electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromusculogram (EMG), and perform video monitoring for assessment of sleep/wake cycles and sleep scoring in mice. The system is equipped with 8 HD-X02 implants (two biopotentials, temperature, activity), 8 RPC-1 receivers, 4 video cameras (capable of monitoring 2 cages at a time), Ponemah v6.51, and NeuroScore automated scoring analysis software with Rodent Sleep module. In addition to automated sleep scoring, the system is also capable for other neurological disorders such as seizure, depression/anxiety, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease in rodent models.
In addition to traditional telemetry for ECG, blood glucose, blood pressure, or body temperature, the Core also houses a complete 8 channel telemetry system (Data Sciences International, DSI) used to simultaneously measure electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromusculogram (EMG), and perform video monitoring for assessment of sleep/wake cycles and sleep scoring in mice. The system is equipped with 8 HD-X02 implants (two biopotentials, temperature, activity), 8 RPC-1 receivers, 4 video cameras (capable of monitoring 2 cages at a time), Ponemah v6.51, and NeuroScore automated scoring analysis software with Rodent Sleep module. In addition to automated sleep scoring, the system is also capable for other neurological disorders such as seizure, depression/anxiety, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease in rodent models.
Electrophysiology Study System
The Center has two Programmed Electrical Stimulation (PES) systems for neural, skeletal, and cardiac electrophysiology research: STG-3004 (4 channels) and STG-3008 (8 channels) system. The Core routinely utilizes these systems for cardiac pacing and cardiac PES to evaluate refractoriness, nodal recovery time, and inducibility of arrhythmia in the ventricular and atrial myocardium in vivo or ex vivo. The system consists of an STG3004/STG-3008 combined stimulator and amplifier (MultiChannel Systems) and Powerlab matrix with ML136 Animal Bio Amp operated with LabChart Pro 8.0 software (ADInstruments). The STG-3004 or STG-3008 can be connected to a 1.1-French 8-electrode octopolar catheter either alone (EPR-800, Millar) or bearing a lumen for drug or test agent delivery (EPR-801, Millar). The octopolar catheter facilitates programmed region-specific stimulation of cardiac tissue and concurrent monitoring of intracardiac electrophysiology across the different chambers of the beating heart.
The Center has two Programmed Electrical Stimulation (PES) systems for neural, skeletal, and cardiac electrophysiology research: STG-3004 (4 channels) and STG-3008 (8 channels) system. The Core routinely utilizes these systems for cardiac pacing and cardiac PES to evaluate refractoriness, nodal recovery time, and inducibility of arrhythmia in the ventricular and atrial myocardium in vivo or ex vivo. The system consists of an STG3004/STG-3008 combined stimulator and amplifier (MultiChannel Systems) and Powerlab matrix with ML136 Animal Bio Amp operated with LabChart Pro 8.0 software (ADInstruments). The STG-3004 or STG-3008 can be connected to a 1.1-French 8-electrode octopolar catheter either alone (EPR-800, Millar) or bearing a lumen for drug or test agent delivery (EPR-801, Millar). The octopolar catheter facilitates programmed region-specific stimulation of cardiac tissue and concurrent monitoring of intracardiac electrophysiology across the different chambers of the beating heart.