Expression data in Ischemia and Reperfusion during microsurgical tissue transfer

Gene Expression of muscle tissue during microsurgical free tissue transfer was basicly studied in animal models. There was found activation of inflammatory and apoptotic cascades and of genes regulating intracellular metabolism. We used microarrays to detail the programme of gene expression in human muscle tissue which is activated during this process. Human muscle which was harvested during microsurgical free tissue transfer was used for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays. Muscle samples of the flap were taken during normoxia (I) after ischemia (II) and after reperfusion (III). Ischemia startet after dissecting the sustentative vessel. Reperfusion began after reanastomosing the vessel and restoring the blood supply.