Wire Denudation and Ligation Models of the Mouse Carotid Artery

Abstract

Advances in genetic manipulation by gene targeting and introduction of transgenes have necessitated the development of arterial injury models for the mouse. Using genetically altered mice in these models would allow researchers to define the role of certain genes in the events associated with intimal lesion formation, remodeling, and endothelial cell growth. For the rat, the balloon catheter denudation model has become the most widely applied model for the study of these events. Adopting this balloon catheter injury model for the mouse carotid artery has presented a major technical challenge, largely because there is no commercially available catheter small enough to use with mice. In our search for other suitable devices that would achieve complete endothelial denudation, we developed the guide wire denudation model (1) and later, the technically less challenging ligation model that causes intimal hyperplasia in the absence of widespread endothelial denudation (2). These two models are described in detail in this chapter.