Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in the mouse is a commonly used experimental model
for pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. 1 TAC initially leads to
compensated hypertrophy of the heart, which often is associated with a temporary
enhancement of cardiac contractility. Over time, however, the response to the chronic
hemodynamic overload becomes maladaptive, resulting in cardiac dilatation and heart
failure. 2 The murine TAC model was first validated by Rockman et al. 1, and has since been …