Atherosclerosis: Experimental Methods and Protocols aims to provide the reader with a compilation of techniques that will prove useful to active investigators across the field of experimental atherosclerosis research. In fact, this volume is unique, the first devoted to a broad spectrum of techniques and assays, some adopted from other disciplines, not previously brought together in one book. Our approach is designed to permit researchers to select the techniques that will answer their particular sets of questions, in any of the expanding number of both animal models and in vitro systems now available for studying factors contributing to the development or progression of athe- sclerotic lesions. Researchers can only benefit from this collection of relevant techniques, written and explained by experts in each of these fields. Both investigators beginning in the field of atherosclerosis studies and researchers entering the field from related but different areas of study will benefit from Atherosclerosis: Experimental Methods and Protocols. Sufficient background is provided for a beginner to carry out the techniques described in the chapters, yet great depth is achieved owing to the special expertise of the authors. Researchers new to the field of atherosclerosis will appreciate the benefits of having these techniques gathered in one volume for their inves- gations. In addition, researchers already in the field of atherosclerosis research may benefit from the wide array of techniques and ideas provided by enjoying expanded opportunities to investigate their hypotheses.

Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Klappentext
Atherosclerosis-a major killer of people in Western societies-is not yet completely understood. In Atherosclerosis: Methods and Protocols, Angela Drew and a panel of experts have assembled a comprehensive collection of traditional and cutting-edge techniques for investigating this disease and its possible treatments. Each readily reproducible method includes step-by-step instructions and practical information regarding sample collection, the choice of animal model system, experimental design, and practical data analysis techniques. Assay systems for serum or plasma determination of lipoproteins are also described, along with assays for those plasma proteins recently identified as implicated in atherogenesis, including cholestryl ester transfer protein, homocysteine, glycated lipoproteins, and apolipoprotein(a). Additional techniques cover the isolation and culture of cells and glycosaminoglycans from atherosclerotic plaques, and the collection and analysis of experimental atherosclerotic lesions.
Comprehensive and richly detailed, Atherosclerosis: Methods and Protocols enables all biomedical investigators to select those optimized techniques that may be most fruitfully used to study the development, progression, and treatment of atherosclerotic lesions today.

Inhalt
Animal Models of Diet-Induced Atherosclerosis.- Mechanical Injury Models.- Genetically Manipulated Models of Atherosclerosis in Mice.- Lipoprotein Isolation and Analysis from Serum by Preparative Ultracentrifugation.- Separation of Plasma Lipoproteins in Self-Generated Gradients of Iodixanol.- Fractionation of Lipoprotein Subclasses in Self-Generated Gradients of Iodixanol.- 7 Detecting Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein in Plasma.- 8 Determination of Plasma Homocysteine.- 9 Assay for Serum Glycated Lipoproteins.- 10 Lipoprotein(a) Quantitation.- Isolation and Characterization of Glycosaminoglycans from Human Atheromatous Vessels.- Culture of Human Smooth Muscle Cells.- Culture of Human Endothelial Cells.- Assay for Cell Migration and Invasion of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.- Collection and Processing of Arterial Specimens for Histological Analysis.- Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging in the Quantitation of Atherosclerosis in Vivo.- Identification of Cell Types and Quantification of Lesion Composition.- 1Nonradioactive In Situ Hybridization in Atherosclerotic Tissue.- Evaluation of Angiogenesis.- Evaluation of Cell Proliferation in Human Atherosclerotic Lesions.- Gene Transfer to the Vasculature Historical Perspective and Implications for Future Research Objectives.- A Pig Model of Vein Graft Disease Applications for Potential Gene Therapies.