Automated noninvasive laser speckle imaging of the chick blood vessels and heart rate during antihypertensive drug injection

Non-invasive approaches for monitoring cardiovascular function in developing organisms (embryos) are essential for studying heart development, long-Term heart physiology, and screening drugs that affect cardiac performance. In this presentation, we introduce a non-invasive laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system for real-Time visualization of blood flow and vascular structures in chick embryos without breaking the eggshell. The system features automated data acquisition and analysis. It enables live-view imaging to locate the embryo and heart, and simultaneous measurement of blood flow dynamics and heart rate. As a proof of concept, we utilized the system to evaluate the effects of antihypertensive drugs Nifedipine and Amlodipine. Significant reductions in heart rate, blood flow, and vessel size were observed within five minutes of drug administration. This platform demonstrates strong potential for low-cost, quantitative drug screening and developmental cardiovascular research.