Whereas it is evident that a well aligned and regular sarcomeric structure in cardiomyocytes is vital for heart function, considerably less is known about the contribution of individual BLUSH SHY PINK #1210 elements to the mechanics of the entire cell.For instance, it is unclear whether altered Z-disc elements are the reason or the outcome of related cardiomyopathies.Therefore, it is crucial to gain more insight into this cellular organization.This study utilizes femtosecond laser-based nanosurgery to better understand sarcomeres and their repair upon damage.We investigated the influence of the extent and the location of the Z-disc damage.
A single, three, five or ten Z-disc ablations were performed in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.We employed image-based analysis using a self-written software together with different already published algorithms.We observed that cardiomyocyte survival associated with the damage extent, but not with the cell area or the total number of Z-discs per cell.The cell survival is independent of the damage position and can be compensated.However, the sarcomere alignment/orientation is changing over time after ablation.
The contraction time is also independent of the extent of damage for the tested parameters.Additionally, we observed shortening rates between 6-7% of the initial sarcomere length in laser treated cardiomyocytes.This rate is an important indicator Dog for force generation in myocytes.In conclusion, femtosecond laser-based nanosurgery together with image-based sarcomere tracking is a powerful tool to better understand the Z-disc complex and its force propagation function and role in cellular mechanisms.