This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kamari, Y. Articles by Harats, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kamari, Y. Articles by Harats, D. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Characterisation of atherosclerotic lesions with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of wet tissue

The Bert W Strassburger Lipid Center, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Hofit Cohen

The Bert W Strassburger Lipid Center, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Aviv Shaish

The Bert W Strassburger Lipid Center, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Rafael Bitzur

The Bert W Strassburger Lipid Center, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Arnon Afek

Institute of Pathology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Shlomzion Shen

Quantomix Ltd., Soreq POB 571 Yavne, Israel.

Anya Vainshtein

Quantomix Ltd., Soreq POB 571 Yavne, Israel.

Dror Harats

The Bert W Strassburger Lipid Center, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the universal leading cause of mortality and a major cause of morbidity. Additionally, the global epidemic of diabetes is associated with considerable cardiovascular mortality risk due to accelerated premature atherosclerosis.

Development of effective therapies for atherosclerosis is dependent upon improved tools to assess atherosclerotic lesion progression in animal models. We present a novel technique that utilises scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for imaging wet biological specimens, thus enabling rapid and high-resolution imaging of atherosclerotic lesions. This wet SEM technique was used in an apoE-deficient mice model for morphological characterisation of early and advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Further demonstration of lipid-rich atherosclerotic lesions was carried out with osmium tetroxide staining for cholesterol. Gold immunolabelling of specific epitopes was applied in identification of the cellular and molecular components within the atherosclerotic lesions, namely foam cells, smooth muscle cells and collagen.

The wet SEM technique demonstrates an accurate and detailed structural evaluation of the pathological process of atherosclerosis. Understanding the mechanisms that precipitate the atherosclerotic process, utilising this novel technique, may assist in the development of innovative therapeutic interventions for CVD management and prevention in the general population and in those with diabetes.

Key Words: apo E-deficient mice • atherosclerotic lesions • electron microscopy • foam cells • immunogold labelling • lipid deposition

Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, 44-47 (2008)
DOI: 10.3132/dvdr.2008.008


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?