Development of an atherosclerosis rabbit model to evaluate the hemodynamic impact of extracorporeal circulation.

Background: Aortic atherosclerosis increases the risk of embolic events under extracorporeal circulation (ECC). To evaluate the hemodynamic impact of ECC on atheromatous plaques, an atherosclerosis animal model, which is also eligible for ECC, is required.

Methods: Twenty-nine New Zealand White rabbits received a pro-atherosclerotic diet (group diet, n = 10), a pro-atherosclerotic diet and additional intraaortic balloon insufflation injury (group BI, n = 9), or served as controls (n = 10).

Glial amyloid precursor protein expression is restricted to astrocytes in an experimental toxic model of multiple sclerosis.

The amyloid precursor protein is rapidly induced in reactive glia in response to pathological stimuli and inflammation. In this study, we investigated its expression in an experimental multiple sclerosis animal model, the cuprizone mouse model which reveals massive myelin loss. Cuprizone intoxication for 5 weeks induced immense demyelination of the corpus callosum and resulted in hypertrophic and hyperplastic astrocytosis accompanied by microglia/macrophage invasion.