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Use of Mouse Carotid Artery Ligation Model of Intimal Thickening to Probe Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Remodeling and Function in Atherosclerosis

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Atherosclerosis

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2419))

Abstract

The thickening of the intima is a critical underlying component of atherosclerosis. Consequently, robust and reproducible animal models of intimal thickening are essential for a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the process of intimal thickening and to evaluate new approaches for the reduction of intimal thickening and thereby atherosclerosis. The ligation of the carotid artery in the mouse causes the thickening of the intimal layer of the artery. This model is relatively simple and is reproducible and therefore is a preferred and well-established model of intimal thickening. Here, we detail a protocol for carotid artery ligation in the mouse and methods for histological examination and quantification of intimal thickening.

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Acknowledgments

Helen Williams is funded by British Heart Foundation project grant, PG/17/66/33216.

Bethan Brown was funded by British Heart Foundation PhD studentship, FS/13/68/30489.

Jason Johnson is funded by British Heart Foundation Senior Research Fellowship, FS/18/1/33234.

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Correspondence to Sarah J. George .

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© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

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Williams, H., Brown, B.A., Johnson, J.L., George, S.J. (2022). Use of Mouse Carotid Artery Ligation Model of Intimal Thickening to Probe Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Remodeling and Function in Atherosclerosis. In: Ramji, D. (eds) Atherosclerosis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2419. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1924-7_33

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1924-7_33

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-1923-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-1924-7

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