Mice are commonly used in preclinical studies to examine the effects of genes, proteins, and drugs on cardiac and motor function. Our consulting services provide you with cutting edge resources for studying small animal physiology. As an alternative to equipping your lab or animal facility with our instruments MSI staff will perform in vivo and in vitro studies on-site at your facility. We offer, for example, screening and interpreting ECGs in numerous conscious mice to test for arrhythmias or other ECG abnormalities. We offer a suite of cardio-vascular services, including cardiac catheterization and isolated heart perfusions, in the same population of mice for comprehensive phenotyping or drug screening. We now also provide on-site imaging of gait dynamics in mice for evaluating motor function and ataxia.

Transporting of mice is expensive. We provide phenotyping and preclinical testing services on-site, eliminating the need for our clients to part with their precious animals or compounds. Our experienced scientists, technicians, and signal processing engineers perform a suite of cardiovascular and motor function services in your laboratory on your mice with your compounds. We provide the equipment, expertise, and results. We can help you identify whether your transgenic mouse model is characterized by reduced blood pressure or increased contractility, or whether your compound causes arrhythmias or ataxia. Our on-site services include:

• Recording of electrocardiograms
  
• Measurement of blood pressure
  
• Measurement of cardiac contractility and relaxation
  
• Coronary-perfused mouse hearts to investigate:
  
  • Calcium sensitivity
    
  • Force-frequency relationship
    
  • Ischemic preconditioning
    
  • Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury
    
  • Effects of drugs on cardiac function
    
  
  
• Imaging of gait dynamics to measure:
  • Stride length
  • Stride frequency
  • Stance duration
  • Paw angle during stance
  • Stepping sequence