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. 2022:2419:597-610.
doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1924-7_37.

Whole Mount Preparation of Mouse Aorta for Confocal Microscopy Studies of the Intima

Ana Barettino  1   2 , Ignacio Benedicto  1   2 , Vicente Andrés  3   4
Affiliations

Whole Mount Preparation of Mouse Aorta for Confocal Microscopy Studies of the Intima

Ana Barettino et al. Methods Mol Biol. 2022.

Abstract

Confocal imaging of the mouse aorta is a powerful, indispensable technique for the study of cardiovascular pathology ex vivo. Whole mount en face preparations allow visualization of wide areas of the luminal vessel surface, thus enabling a thorough analysis of multiple cellular and structural features of the endothelial cell-rich intimal layer. This method is a suitable tool for the study of endothelial cell dysfunction and leukocyte infiltration, both of which contribute to the onset of pathological vascular conditions such as atherosclerosis. This chapter provides a complete guide on how to perfuse-fix mouse aorta, dissect the vessel, immunostain target proteins, and carry out en face confocal image acquisition and analysis.

Keywords: Aorta; Atherosclerosis; En face immunofluorescence; Endothelial dysfunction; Whole mount immunofluorescence.

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