Ultrastructure of Fetal Mouse Heart in Organ Culture: Effects of Anoxia

Abstract

Fetal mouse hearts (FMH) can be maintained in organ culture for several weeks, and may offer a suitable model for studying cardiac metabolism under experimental conditions. Ultrastructural studies were performed to establish the integrity of the cells which have been deprived of circulating blood and to examine the effects of anoxia. Mouse hearts from fetuses (18-20 day gestation) were maintained for 2 days in oxygenated culture media 199 containing insulin 50 ug/ml.