Altered cardiac function and arrhythmia in viable adult
Smad7ΔMH2-/- mice. A, histological analysis
showed a very thin wall in the right ventricle in adult
Smad7ΔMH2-/- mice (at 9 months old). RA, right
atrium; LA, left atrium; RV, right ventricle; LV,
left ventricle; and VS, ventricular septum. B,
echocardiograph analysis of wild-type and viable Smad7ΔMH2-/-
mice (at 3 months old, n = 5). Representative two-dimensional and
M-mode images are shown. Measurement of various parameters of cardiac
functions is shown in the lower panel, and * stands for
p < 0.01. C, ECG analysis of wild-type and viable
Smad7ΔMH2-/- mice (at 3 months old). Representative ECG
images reveal arrhythmia (arrows) in Smad7 mutant mice.