2) Mouse Stent and Balloon Angioplasty Model. This proprietary model combines a unique, miniature stent, a mouse disease model for atherosclerosis (such as the apoE knock-out strain), and a sophisticated surgical implantation technique, resulting in a stent injury response that closely mimics that seen in humans. The ability to work in mouse models lets us leverage the tremendous power of the mouse genome to test the efficacy of treatments in real world disease models.

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3) Microvascular Surgery. The mouse stent model involves balloon expansion of the miniature stent in the mouse thoracic aorta, followed by grafting of the stented vessel segment into the carotid artery. This is a complex, delicate procedure that takes months to master. Most laboratories do not have the resources or time to bring this procedure in-house. Our skilled surgical staff can help you accelerate your research progress and lets you focus on your core strengths, while still having access to this powerful new model.

Operative procedure for angioplasty and stenting in mouse aorta. (A) In the donor mouse the stent is crimped onto a 1.25-mm balloon angioplasty catheter and the catheter advanced retrograde up the thoracic aorta. (B) The balloon is inflated to 8 atmospheres pressure for 10 seconds. (C) The balloon catheter is retracted, and the stented segment excised following electrocautery of the intercostal branches. (D) In the recipient mouse the carotid artery is ligated at its midpoint, divided between ties and plastic cuffs placed over the ends. The vessel and cuff handle are fixed using microhemostatic clamps, the free ends of the artery are everted over the cuffs and secured onto the cuff using 8-0 silk sutures. (E) The harvested stented vessel (1 cm) is grafted by sleeving the ends over the artery cuffs and securing them with 8-0 silk sutures. (F) The hemostatic clamps are removed; vigorous pulsations are seen within the graft.