Improved analysis of the vascular response to arterial ligation using a multivariate approach.

Ligation of the murine common carotid artery induces a reproducible remodeling response. The contribution of individual genes can be determined by comparison of the phenotypes of genetically modified mice. Although studies have shown the response to carotid artery ligation is influenced by many factors, individual analyses typically only consider a single factor, the presence of a gene of interest.

Alterations of arterial physiology in osteopontin-null mice.

Objective: In this study, we characterized the effects of an osteopontin (OPN)-null mutation in normal arterial function and remodeling in a murine model.

Methods And Results: OPN-null mutant mice were compared with wild-type mice before and after carotid artery ligation. Before ligation, OPN-null mice had increased heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increased circulating lymphocytes compared with wild-type mice.