Three-dimensional microstructural changes in murine abdominal aortic aneurysms quantified using immunofluorescent array tomography.

This study investigated the spatial and temporal remodeling of blood vessel wall microarchitecture and cellular morphology during abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development using immunofluorescent array tomography (IAT), a high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) microscopy technology, in the murine model. Infrarenal aortas of C57BL6 mice (N=20) were evaluated at 0, 7, and 28 days after elastase or heat-inactivated elastase perfusion. Custom algorithms quantified volume fractions (VF) of elastin, smooth muscle cell (SMC) actin, and adventitial collagen type I, as well as elastin thickness, elastin fragmentation, non-adventitial wall thickness, and nuclei amount.