Name: high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of the footpad vasculature in a murine hindlimb gangrene model
Uploaded: 2022-03-16T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Imaging of the Footpad Vasculature in a Murine Hindlimb Gangrene Model at JoVE.com

This work was supported by grants to Z-J L and OC V from the National Institutes of Health [R01HL149452 and VITA (NHLBl-CSB-HV-2017-01-JS)]. We also thank the Microscopy and Imaging Facility of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami School of Medicine for providing access to their image analysis and processing software.

All animal experiments described in the protocol were approved by the University of Miami Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). FVB mice, both male and female, aged 8-12 weeks, were used for the study.
1. Preparation of L-NAME solution
<ol>
	<li>Under sterile conditions in a laminar flow hood, prepare an L-NAME stock solution by dissolving 1g of L-NAME powder (see Table of Materials) with 20 mL of sterile water to make a 50 mg/mL of solution. ...

<ol>
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L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+society+for+vascular+surgery+lower+extremity+threatened+limb+classification+system:+Risk+stratification+based+on+Wound,+Ischemia,+and+foot+Infection+(WIfI).">The society for vascular surgery lower extremity threatened limb classification system: Risk stratification based on Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI).</a> Journal of Vascular Surgery. 59 (1), 220-234 (2014).</li><li>Conte, M. S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Global+vascular+guidelines+on+the+management+of+chronic+limb-threatening+ischemia.">Global vascular guidelines on the management of chronic limb-threatening ischemia.</a> Journal of Vascular Surgery. 69 (6), (2019).</li><li>Yeager, R. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Relationship+of+hemodialysis+access+to+finger+gangrene+in+patients+with+end-stage+renal+disease.">Relationship of hemodialysis access to finger gangrene in patients with end-stage renal disease.</a> Journal of Vascular Surgery. 36 (2), 245-249 (2002).</li><li>Al Wahbi, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Autoamputation+of+diabetic+toe+with+dry+gangrene:+A+myth+or+a+fact.">Autoamputation of diabetic toe with dry gangrene: A myth or a fact.</a> Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy. 11, 255-264 (2018).</li><li>Niiyama, H., Huang, N. F., Rollins, M. D., Cooke, J. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Murine+model+of+hindlimb+ischemia.">Murine model of hindlimb ischemia.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (23), e1035 (2009).</li><li>Hellingman, A. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Variations+in+surgical+procedures+for+hind+limb+ischaemia+mouse+models+result+in+differences+in+collateral+formation.">Variations in surgical procedures for hind limb ischaemia mouse models result in differences in collateral formation.</a> European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. 40 (6), 796-803 (2010).</li><li>Chalothorn, D., Clayton, J. A., Zhang, H., Pomp, D., Faber, J. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Collateral+density,+remodeling,+and+VEGF-A+expression+differ+widely+between+mouse+strains.">Collateral density, remodeling, and VEGF-A expression differ widely between mouse strains.</a> Physiological Genomics. 30 (2), 179-191 (2007).</li><li>Dokun, A. O., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+quantitative+trait+locus+(LSq-1)+on+mouse+chromosome+7+is+linked+to+the+absence+of+tissue+loss+after+surgical+hindlimb+ischemia.">A quantitative trait locus (LSq-1) on mouse chromosome 7 is linked to the absence of tissue loss after surgical hindlimb ischemia.</a> Circulation. 117 (9), 1207-1215 (2008).</li><li>Parikh, P. P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Reliable+Mouse+Model+of+Hind+limb+Gangrene.">A Reliable Mouse Model of Hind limb Gangrene.</a> Annals of Vascular Surgery. 48, 222-232 (2018).</li><li>Kopincov&#225;, J., P&#250;zserov&#225;, A., Bern&#225;tov&#225;, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=L-NAME+in+the+cardiovascular+system+-+nitric+oxide+synthase+activator.">L-NAME in the cardiovascular system - nitric oxide synthase activator.</a> Pharmacological Reports. 64 (3), 511-520 (2012).</li><li>Soiza, R. L., Donaldson, A. I. C., Myint, P. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pathophysiology+of+chronic+peripheral+ischemia:+new+perspectives.">Pathophysiology of chronic peripheral ischemia: new perspectives.</a> Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease. 11, 1-15 (2020).</li><li>McDermott, M. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Skeletal+muscle+pathology+in+peripheral+artery+disease+a+brief+review.">Skeletal muscle pathology in peripheral artery disease a brief review.</a> Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 40 (11), 2577-2585 (2020).</li><li>Usui, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pathogenic+role+of+oxidative+stress+in+vascular+angiotensin-converting+enzyme+activation+in+long-term+blockade+of+nitric+oxide+synthesis+in+rats.">Pathogenic role of oxidative stress in vascular angiotensin-converting enzyme activation in long-term blockade of nitric oxide synthesis in rats.</a> Hypertension. 34 (4), 546-551 (1999).</li><li>Aref, Z., de Vries, M. R., Quax, P. H. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Variations+in+surgical+procedures+for+inducing+hind+limb+ischemia+in+mice+and+the+impact+of+these+variations+on+neovascularization+assessment.">Variations in surgical procedures for inducing hind limb ischemia in mice and the impact of these variations on neovascularization assessment.</a> International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 20 (15), 1-14 (2019).</li><li>Li, Y., Song, Y., Zhao, L., Gaidosh, G., Laties, A. M., Wen, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Direct+labeling+and+visualization+of+blood+vessels+with+lipophilic+carbocyanine+dye+DiI.">Direct labeling and visualization of blood vessels with lipophilic carbocyanine dye DiI.</a> Nature Protocols. 3 (11), 1703-1708 (2008).</li><li>Honig, M. G., Hume, R. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dil+and+DiO:+Versatile+fluorescent+dyes+for+neuronal+labelling+and+pathway+tracing.">Dil and DiO: Versatile fluorescent dyes for neuronal labelling and pathway tracing.</a> Trends in Neurosciences. 12 (9), 333-341 (1989).</li><li>Boden, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Whole-mount+imaging+of+the+mouse+hindlimb+vasculature+using+the+lipophilic+carbocyanine+dye+DiI.">Whole-mount imaging of the mouse hindlimb vasculature using the lipophilic carbocyanine dye DiI.</a> BioTechniques. 53 (1), 3-6 (2012).</li><li>Elfarnawany, M. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Signal+processing+methods+for+quantitative+power+doppler+microvascular+angiography.">Signal processing methods for quantitative power doppler microvascular angiography.</a> Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. , 3106 (2015).</li><li>Matic, M., Matic, A., Djuran, V., Gajinov, Z., Prcic, S., Golusin, Z. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Frequency+of+peripheral+arterial+disease+in+patients+with+chronic+venous+insufficiency.">Frequency of peripheral arterial disease in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.</a> Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal. 18 (1), 1-6 (2016).</li><li>Ammermann, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Concomitant+chronic+venous+insufficiency+in+patients+with+peripheral+artery+disease:+Insights+from+MR+angiography.">Concomitant chronic venous insufficiency in patients with peripheral artery disease: Insights from MR angiography.</a> European Radiology. 30 (7), 3908-3914 (2020).</li><li>Yang, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cellular+and+molecular+mechanism+regulating+blood+flow+recovery+in+acute+versus+gradual+femoral+artery+occlusion+are+distinct+in+the+mouse.">Cellular and molecular mechanism regulating blood flow recovery in acute versus gradual femoral artery occlusion are distinct in the mouse.</a> Journal of Vascular Surgery. 48 (6), 1546-1558 (2008).</li><li>Padgett, M. E., McCord, T. J., McClung, J. M., Kontos, C. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Methods+for+acute+and+subacute+murine+hindlimb+ischemia.">Methods for acute and subacute murine hindlimb ischemia.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (112), e54166 (2016).</li><li>Nowak-Sliwinska, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Consensus+guidelines+for+the+use+and+interpretation+of+angiogenesis+assays.">Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays.</a> Angiogenesis. 21 (3), 425-432 (2018).</li><li>Greco, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Repeatability,+reproducibility+and+standardisation+of+a+laser+doppler+imaging+technique+for+the+evaluation+of+normal+mouse+hindlimb+perfusion.">Repeatability, reproducibility and standardisation of a laser doppler imaging technique for the evaluation of normal mouse hindlimb perfusion.</a> Sensors. 13 (1), 500-515 (2013).</li><li>Kochi, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+of+the+arterial+anatomy+of+the+murine+hindlimb:+Functional+role+in+the+design+and+understanding+of+ischemia+models.">Characterization of the arterial anatomy of the murine hindlimb: Functional role in the design and understanding of ischemia models.</a> PLoS ONE. 8 (12), 84047 (2013).</li><li>Hlushchuk, R., Haberth&#252;r, D., Djonov, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ex+vivo+microangioCT:+Advances+in+microvascular+imaging.">Ex vivo microangioCT: Advances in microvascular imaging.</a> Vascular Pharmacology. 112, 2-7 (2019).</li><li>Robertson, R. 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While mouse hindlimb ischemia is the most widely used preclinical model to study neovascularization in PAD and CLTI, there is significant variation in ischemia severity and recovery depending on the specific mouse strain used and the site, number, and method of arterial disruption. The combination of femoral artery ligation and IP administration of L-NAME can reliably induce hindlimb gangrene in FVB mice11. The same treatment results in hindlimb ischemia without tissue loss in C57BL/6 mice, wherea...

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), characterized by reduced blood flow to the extremities due to atherosclerosis, affects 6.5 million people in the United States and 200 million people worldwide1. Patients with PAD experience reduced limb function and quality of life, and those with CLTI, the most severe form of PAD, are at increased risk for amputation and death with a 5-year mortality rate nearing 50%2. In clinical practice, patients with ankle-brachial indices (ABI) &#60;0.9 are considered to have PAD, and those with ABI &#60;0.4 associated with either rest pain or tissue loss as having CLTI3. Symptoms vary among patients with similar ABIs depending on daily activity, muscle tolerance to ischemia, anatomic variations, and differences in collateral development4. Digit and limb gangrene is the most severe manifestation of all vascular occlusive diseases that result in CLTI. It is a form of dry necrosis that mummifies the soft tissues. In addition to atherosclerotic PAD, it can also be observed in patients with diabetes, vasculitides such as Buerger&#39;s disease and Raynaud&#39;s phenomenon, or calciphylaxis in the setting of end-stage renal disease5,6.
Several preclinical models have been developed to study the pathogenesis of PAD/CLTI and test the efficacy of potential treatments, the most common of which remains mouse hindlimb ischemia. Inducing hindlimb ischemia in mice is typically accomplished by the obstruction of blood flow from the iliac or femoral arteries, either by suture ligation, electrocoagulation, or other means of constricting the desired vessel7. These techniques drastically reduce perfusion to the hindlimb and stimulate neovascularization in the thigh and calf muscles. However, there are essential murine strain-dependent differences in sensitivity to ischemic insult partially owing to anatomical differences in collateral distribution8,9. For example, C57BL/6 mice are relatively resistant to hindlimb ischemia, demonstrating reduced limb function but generally no evidence of gangrene in the footpad. On the other hand, BALB/c mice have an inherently poor capacity to recover from ischemia and typically develop auto-amputation of the foot or lower leg following femoral artery ligation alone. This severe response to ischemia narrows the therapeutic window and can preclude longitudinal assessment of limb reperfusion and function. Interestingly, genetic differences in a single quantitative trait locus located on murine chromosome 7 have been implicated in these differential susceptibilities of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice to tissue necrosis and limb reperfusion10.
Compared to C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains, FVB mice demonstrate an intermediate but inconsistent response to femoral artery ligation alone. Some animals develop footpad gangrene in the form of black ischemic nails or mummified digits, yet others without any overt signs of ischemia11. Concomitant administration of N&#969;-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor12, prevents compensatory vasodilatory mechanisms and further increases oxidative stress in hindlimb tissue. In combination with femoral artery ligation or coagulation, this approach consistently produces footpad tissue loss in FVB mice that resembles the atrophic changes of CLTI but rarely progresses to limb auto-amputation11. Oxidative stress is one of the hallmarks of PAD/CLTI and is propagated by endothelial dysfunction and diminished bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO)13,14. NO is a pluripotent molecule that usually exerts beneficial effects on arterial and capillary blood flow, platelet adhesion and aggregation, and leukocyte recruitment and activation13. Reduced levels of NOS have also been shown to activate the angiotensin-converting enzyme, which induces oxidative stress and accelerates the progression of atherosclerosis15.
Once a model of hindlimb ischemia is established, monitoring subsequent limb reperfusion and the therapeutic effect of any potential treatments are also needed. In the proposed murine gangrene model, the degree of tissue loss can first be quantified using the Faber score to assess the gross appearance of the foot (0: normal, 1-5: loss of nails where score represents the number of nails affected, 6-10: atrophy of digits where score represents the number of digits affected, 11-12: partial and complete foot atrophy, respectively)9. Quantitative measurements of hindlimb perfusion are then typically made using LDPI, which relies on Doppler interactions between laser light and red blood cells to indicate pixel-level perfusion in a region of interest (ROI)16. While this technique is quantitative, non-invasive, and ideal for repeated measurements, it does not provide granular anatomical detail of the hindlimb vasculature16. Other imaging modalities, such as micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and X-ray microangiography, prove either costly, requiring sophisticated instrumentation, or otherwise technically challenging16. In 2008, Li et al. described a technique for labeling blood vessels within the retina with the lipophilic carbocyanine dye DiI17. DiI incorporates into endothelial cells and, by direct diffusion, stains vascular membrane structures such as angiogenic sprouts and pseudopodal processes17,18. Due to its direct delivery into endothelial cells and the highly fluorescent nature of the dye, this procedure provides intense and long-lasting labeling of blood vessels. In 2012, Boden et al. adapted the technique of DiI perfusion to the murine hindlimb ischemia model via whole-mount imaging of harvested thigh adductor muscles following femoral artery ligation19.
The current method provides a relatively inexpensive and technically feasible way for assessing neovascularization in response to hindlimb ischemia and gene or cell-based therapeutics. In a further adaptation, this protocol describes the application of DiI perfusion to image the footpad vasculature in high resolution and 3D in a murine model of hindlimb gangrene.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Binder clips (small)</td>
			<td>Office supply store</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Buprenorphine (sustained-release)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Butterfly needle (25 G with Luer-Lok)</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>10148-584</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Confocal laser scanning microscope</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>TCS SP5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DiI (1,1&#39;-Dioctadecyl-3,3,3&#39;,3&#39;-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate)</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>D282</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Electrocautery device</td>
			<td>Gemini Cautery System</td>
			<td>5917</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol (100%)</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89370-084</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fiji (ImageJ) software</td>
			<td>NIH</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Used version 2.1.0. Free download, no license required.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Foam biopsy pads</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>22-038-221</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Formalin (neutral buffered, 10%)</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89370-094</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FVB mice</td>
			<td>Jackson Laboratory</td>
			<td>001800</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glucose</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>G7528</td>
			<td>Used version 2.1.0.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HCl (1 M)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>13-1700</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Imaris software</td>
			<td>Oxford Instruments</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Used version 9.6.0.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane</td>
			<td>Pivetal</td>
			<td>NDC 46066-755-04</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KCl</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P9333</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ketamine</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-NAME (N&#969;-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>N5751</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laser Doppler perfusion imager</td>
			<td>MoorLDI</td>
			<td>moorLDI2-HIR</td>
			<td>Used moorLDI V5 software.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope slides (25 x 75 x 1 mm)</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>48311-703</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Na2HPO4</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S7907</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaCl</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S7653</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaH2PO4</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S8282</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaOH</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S8263</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needles (27 G)</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>305109</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Povidone-iodine swabstick (10%)</td>
			<td>Medline</td>
			<td>MDS093901ZZ</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical instruments</td>
			<td>Roboz Surgical</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Fine forceps, needle driver, spring scissors, and hemostat are recommended.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Suture (5-0 absorbable)</td>
			<td>DemeTECH</td>
			<td>G275017B0P</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringes (10 mL)</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>305482</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Three-way stopcocks</td>
			<td>Cole-Parmer</td>
			<td>19406-49</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vascular Analysis Plugin</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Free download, no license required. See reference: Elfarnawany (2015).</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Xylazine</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of the footpad vasculature in a murine hindlimb gangrene model

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a significant cause of morbidity resulting from chronic exposure to atherosclerotic risk factors. Patients suffering from its most severe form, chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), face substantial impairments to daily living, including chronic pain, limited walking distance without pain, and nonhealing wounds. Preclinical models have been developed in various animals to study PAD, but mouse hindlimb ischemia remains the most widely used. There can be significant variation in response to ischemic insult in these models depending on the mouse strain used and the site, number, and means of arterial disruption. This protocol describes a unique method combining femoral artery and vein electrocoagulation with the administration of a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor to reliably induce footpad gangrene in Friend Virus B (FVB) mice that resembles the tissue loss of CLTI. While traditional means of assessing reperfusion such as laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) are still recommended, intracardiac perfusion of the lipophilic dye 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) is used to label the vasculature. Subsequent whole-mount confocal laser scanning microscopy allows for high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of footpad vascular networks that complements traditional means of assessing reperfusion in hindlimb ischemia models.

This protocol details a reliable means of inducing ischemia and tissue loss in the murine footpad using a combination of femoral artery and vein coagulation with L-NAME administration, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, in susceptible FVB mice. Figure 1 details the anatomy of the murine hindlimb vasculature and indicates the sites of the femoral artery and vein coagulation (yellow X), just proximal to the lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) and proximal to the saphenopopliteal junction....

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Imaging of the Footpad Vasculature in a Murine Hindlimb Gangrene Model at JoVE.com

High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Imaging of the Footpad Vasculature in a Murine Hindlimb Gangrene Model

The present protocol describes a unique, clinically relevant model of peripheral arterial disease that combines femoral artery and vein electrocoagulation with the administration of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor to induce hindlimb gangrene in FVB mice. Intracardiac DiI perfusion is then used for high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of the footpad vasculature.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a significant cause of morbidity resulting from chronic exposure to atherosclerotic risk factors. Patients suffering ...

This protocol presents how to create a mouse foot pad gangrene model using administration of mass inhibitor and femoral artery coagulation. DiI perfusion then allows for high-resolution visualization of the foot pad vasculature. This model is clinically relevant and can be used for preclinical drug testing and to study limb ischemia.High-resolution visualization of vasculature offers a technically facile means of assessing neovascularization. This foot pad gangrene model has important applications in preclinical research of peripheral arterial disease and critical limb ischemia. DiI perfusion is a useful tool to study neovascularization in animal models.Demonstrating the procedure will be Antoine Ribieras, of surgical resident, and Yulexi Ortiz, a research associate from my laboratory. First, make DiI working solution by adding 200 microliters of DiI stock solution to 10 milliliters of the working diluent solution immediately before use. Shake by hand to mix well.Connect two or three three-way stopcocks and a 25 gauge butterfly needle in series. Prepare 10 milliliter syringes with four milliliters of PBS, 10 milliliters of DiI solution, and 10 milliliters of 10%neutral buffered formalin. Connect the syringe with formalin to the proximal inflow port and inject the solution to flush air from the line.Then turn the stopcock to close the port. Repeat the same procedure, connecting the syringes with DiI and then PBS to the middle and distal inflow ports respectively. Post-euthanasia, place the animal in a supine position on an absorbent pad and secure axillae and lower extremities with needles.Using scissors, make a transverse incision to open the abdominal cavity, then expose and divide the left and right diaphragm to access the thoracic cavity. Cut the chest wall on either side of the sternum from the lower ribs to the first or second ribs. Use a hemostat to grab the lower end of the sternum and reflect it towards the animal's head to expose the thoracic cavity.Identify the left ventricle, which appears lighter in color than the right. Gently grasp the heart with blunt forceps and insert the butterfly needle into the left ventricle. Use scissors or an 18 gauge needle to puncture the right atrium, allowing blood and perfusion solutions to return to the heart to drain.Open the port of the syringe with PBS and manually inject two to four milliliters at a rate of one to two milliliters per minute for one to two minutes to flush blood from the vascular system. Ensure successful perfusion by observing bleeding from the right atrium. After injection, close the port of the PBS syringe.Open the port of the syringe with DiI and inject five to 10 milliliters at a rate of one to two milliliters per minute for five minutes. After injection, close the port of the DiI syringe and wait for two minutes to allow incorporation of the dye before injection of fixative. Open the port of the syringe with formalin and inject five to 10 milliliters at a rate of one to two milliliters per minute for five minutes.After injection, remove the needle from the left ventricle. Using heavy scissors, dislocate the tibia at the ankle, completely separating the left and right feet from the lower legs. Place harvested feet in a 12 well plate with one to two milliliters of 10%formalin solution.Wrap the plate with foil and store at four degrees Celsius overnight. The next day, replace the fixative solution in a 12 well plate with one to two milliliters of PBS per well. Make a longitudinal incision with a scalpel on the plantar and dorsal part of the foot.Then using toothed forceps and a small hemostat, carefully remove all skin from the foot and digits, not damaging the underlying soft tissues. To mount tissues, individually place feet between two glass microscope slides with a foam biopsy pad folded over itself at each end. Use two small binder clips to compress the glass slides together at each end.Alternatively, return the foot pad to a 12 well plate with one to two milliliters of PBS. After covering it with foil, store it at four degrees Celsius to maintain fluorescence for up to one month. Turn on the imaging system, start the acquisition software, and use a low magnification or low numeric aperture objective to capture images.Click on yes to the activate stage dialog box. Activate the 561 nanometer laser in the configuration tab. On the main screen, activate a visible beam path by clicking on the visible button.Set a detector to the 570 to 600 nanometer range by clicking on the corresponding active checkbox. Select the tile scan icon in the acquisition tab and set the desired resolution. Position dry mounted tissue sample compressed between glass slides on the microscope stage and bring tissue into focus.Navigate to one corner of the sample. Under the tile scan menu, click on the mark position button. Navigate to the opposite corner and click on the mark position button again setting the scanning boundaries.To set the depth of the Z-stack, click on the live button. Navigate to the center of the sample and use the z-axis knob to scroll through to the bottom of the sample. In the acquisition tab under the Z-stack menu, click on the begin button.Scroll through to the top of the sample and click on the end button. Click on the z-step size and set to the desired value. Then click on start to begin image acquisition.The figure shows the variation in tissue loss that can be expected from this model one week after surgery with FABER scores recorded in the bottom right-hand corner of each image. Reconstruction microscopy images reveal normal vascular anatomy in non-ligated control foot pad compared with severely diminished perfusion to the foot pad of ligated hindlimb five days after surgery. 20 days after surgery, perfusion to the foot pad has significantly improved, although not to the extent of non-ligated control.The video shows that surface rendering was then created using the animation functionality. Flush all air bubbles from the perfusion assembly. If the lungs expand and turn pink during perfusion, the needle has penetrated the right ventricle and should be retracted slightly.Limb tissues can be used for immunostaining to assess muscle necrosis, tissue regeneration, vessel density, and recruitment of progenitor cells, and other tissue repair cells. The technique of DiI perfusion in this murine gangrene model has been used in studies of gene and cell therapies. The research aims to improve perfusion in limbs of patients with critical limb ischemia.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

Human Neuroendocrine Tumor Cell Lines as a Three-Dimensional Model for the Study of Human Neuroendocrine Tumor Therapy

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare tumors, with an incidence of two per 100,&#x200A;000 individuals per year, and they account for 0.5% of all human malignancies.1 Other than surgery for the minority of patients who present with localized disease, there is little or no survival benefit of systemic therapy. Therefore, there is a great need to better understand the biology of NETs, and in particular define new therapeutic targets for patients with nonresectable or metastatic neuroendocrine tumors. 3D cell culture is becoming a popular method for drug screening due to its relevance in modeling the in vivo tumor tissue organization and microenvironment.2,3 The 3D multicellular spheroids could provide valuable information in a more timely and less expensive manner than directly proceeding from 2D cell culture experiments to animal (murine) models.
To facilitate the discovery of new therapeutics for NET patients, we have developed an in vitro 3D multicellular spheroids model using the human NET cell lines. The NET cells are plated in a non-adhesive agarose-coated 24-well plate and incubated under physiological conditions (5% CO2, 37 &deg;C) with a very slow agitation for 16-24 hr after plating. The cells form multicellular spheroids starting on the 3rd or 4th day. The spheroids become more spherical by the 6th day, at which point the drug treatments are initiated. The efficacy of the drug treatments on the NET spheroids is monitored based on the morphology, shape and size of the spheroids with a phase-contrast light microscope. The size of the spheroids is estimated automatically using a custom-developed MATLAB program based on an active contour algorithm. Further, we demonstrate a simple method to process the HistoGel embedding on these 3D spheroids, allowing the use of standard histological and immunohistochemical techniques. 
This is the first report on generating 3D spheroids using NET cell lines to examine the effect of therapeutic drugs. We have also performed histology on these 3D spheroids, and displayed an example of a single drug's effect on growth and proliferation of the NET spheroids. Our results support that the NET spheroids are valuable for further studies of NET biology and drug development.

We present a simple agarose overlay platform to grow 3D multicellular spheroids using neuroendocrine cancer cell lines. This method provides a very convenient way to examine the effect of therapeutic drugs on the neuroendocrine tumor cells. It could also help us establish human neuroendocrine tumor spheroids for cancer therapy.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare tumors, with an incidence of two per 100,&#x200A;000 individuals per year, and they account for 0.5% of all human ...

A Murine Model of Stent Implantation in the Carotid Artery for the Study of Restenosis

Despite the considerable progress made in the stent development in the last decades, cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death in western countries. Beside the benefits offered by the development of different drug-eluting stents, the coronary revascularization bears also the life-threatening risks of in-stent thrombosis and restenosis. Research on new therapeutic strategies is impaired by the lack of appropriate methods to study stent implantation and restenosis processes. Here, we describe a rapid and accessible procedure of stent implantation in mouse carotid artery, which offers the possibility to study in a convenient way the molecular mechanisms of vessel remodeling and the effects of different drug coatings.

A model of stent implantation in mouse carotid artery is described. Compared to other similar methods, this procedure is very rapid, simple and accessible, offering the possibility to study in a convenient way the vascular wall reaction to different drug-eluting stents and the molecular mechanisms of restenosis.

Despite  the considerable progress made in the stent development in the last decades,  cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death in western ...

Three-dimensional Imaging of Nociceptive Intraepidermal Nerve Fibers in Human Skin Biopsies

A punch biopsy of the skin is commonly used to quantify intraepidermal nerve fiber densities (IENFD) for the diagnosis of peripheral polyneuropathy 1,2. At present, it is common practice to collect 3 mm skin biopsies from the distal leg (DL) and the proximal thigh (PT) for the evaluation of length-dependent polyneuropathies 3. However, due to the multidirectional nature of IENFs, it is challenging to examine overlapping nerve structures through the analysis of two-dimensional (2D) imaging. Alternatively, three-dimensional (3D) imaging could provide a better solution for this dilemma.
In the current report, we present methods for applying 3D imaging to study painful neuropathy (PN). In order to identify IENFs, skin samples are processed for immunofluorescent analysis of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP), a pan neuronal marker. At present, it is standard practice to diagnose small fiber neuropathies using IENFD determined by PGP immunohistochemistry using brightfield microscopy 4. In the current study, we applied double immunofluorescent analysis to identify total IENFD, using PGP, and nociceptive IENF, through the use of antibodies that recognize tropomyosin-receptor-kinase A (Trk A), the high affinity receptor for nerve growth factor 5. The advantages of co-staining IENF with PGP and Trk A antibodies benefits the study of PN by clearly staining PGP-positive, nociceptive fibers. These fluorescent signals can be quantified to determine nociceptive IENFD and morphological changes of IENF associated with PN. The fluorescent images are acquired by confocal microscopy and processed for 3D analysis. 3D-imaging provides rotational abilities to further analyze morphological changes associated with PN. Taken together, fluorescent co-staining, confocal imaging, and 3D analysis clearly benefit the study of PN.

In order to study the changes of nociceptive intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENFs) in painful neuropathies (PN), we developed protocols that could directly examine three-dimensional morphological changes observed in nociceptive IENFs. Three-dimensional analysis of IENFs has the potential to evaluate the morphological changes of IENF in PN.

A punch biopsy of the skin is commonly used to quantify intraepidermal nerve fiber densities (IENFD) for the diagnosis of peripheral polyneuropathy 1,2. ...

Osmotic Drug Delivery to Ischemic Hindlimbs and Perfusion of Vasculature with Microfil for Micro-Computed Tomography Imaging

Preclinical research in animal models of peripheral arterial disease plays a vital role in testing the efficacy of therapeutic agents designed to stimulate microcirculation. The choice of delivery method for these agents is important because the route of administration profoundly affects the bioactivity and efficacy of these agents1,2. In this article, we demonstrate how to locally administer a substance in ischemic hindlimbs by using a catheterized osmotic pump. This pump can deliver a fixed volume of aqueous solution continuously for an allotted period of time. We also present our mouse model of unilateral hindlimb ischemia induced by ligation of the common femoral artery proximal to the origin of profunda femoris and epigastrica arteries in the left hindlimb. Lastly, we describe the in vivo cannulation and ligation of the infrarenal abdominal aorta and perfusion of the hindlimb vasculature with Microfil, a silicone radiopaque casting agent. Microfil can perfuse and fill the entire vascular bed (arterial and venous), and because we have ligated the major vascular conduit for exit, the agent can be retained in the vasculature for future ex vivo imaging with the use of small specimen micro-CT3.

We show here the in vivo insertion of an osmotic pump for constant local drug delivery and the creation of hindlimb ischemia in a mouse model. Moreover, the hindlimb vasculature is perfused with Microfil, a silicone radiopaque agent, to prepare for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging.

Preclinical research in animal models of peripheral arterial disease plays a vital role in testing the efficacy of therapeutic agents designed to ...

Quantification of Breast Cancer Cell Invasiveness Using a Three-dimensional (3D) Model

It is now well known that the cellular and tissue microenvironment are critical regulators influencing tumor initiation and progression. Moreover, the extracellular matrix (ECM) has been demonstrated to be a critical regulator of cell behavior in culture and homeostasis in vivo. The current approach of culturing cells on two-dimensional (2D), plastic surfaces results in the disturbance and loss of complex interactions between cells and their microenvironment. Through the use of three-dimensional (3D) culture assays, the conditions for cell-microenvironment interaction are established resembling the in vivo microenvironment. This article provides a detailed methodology to grow breast cancer cells in a 3D basement membrane protein matrix, exemplifying the potential of 3D culture in the assessment of cell invasion into the surrounding environment. In addition, we discuss how these 3D assays have the potential to examine the loss of signaling molecules that regulate epithelial morphology by immunostaining procedures. These studies aid to identify important mechanistic details into the processes regulating invasion, required for the spread of breast cancer.

Quantification of Breast Cancer Cell Invasiveness Using a Three-dimensional 3D Model

This article provides detailed methodologies for the use of three-dimensional (3D) assays to quantify breast cancer cell invasion. Specifically, we discuss the procedures required to set up such assays, quantification, and data analysis, as well as methods to examine the loss of membrane integrity that occurs when cells invade.

It is now well known that the cellular and tissue microenvironment are critical regulators influencing tumor initiation and progression. Moreover, the ...

Three-dimensional Co-culture Model for Tumor-stromal Interaction

Cancer progression (initiation, growth, invasion and metastasis) occurs through interactions between malignant cells and the surrounding tumor stromal cells. The tumor microenvironment is comprised of a variety of cell types, such as fibroblasts, immune cells, vascular endothelial cells, pericytes and bone-marrow-derived cells, embedded in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have a pro-tumorigenic role through the secretion of soluble factors, angiogenesis and ECM remodeling. The experimental models for cancer cell survival, proliferation, migration, and invasion have mostly relied on two-dimensional monocellular and monolayer tissue cultures or Boyden chamber assays. However, these experiments do not precisely reflect the physiological or pathological conditions in a diseased organ. To gain a better understanding of tumor stromal or tumor matrix interactions, multicellular and three-dimensional cultures provide more powerful tools for investigating intercellular communication and ECM-dependent modulation of cancer cell behavior. As a platform for this type of study, we present an experimental model in which cancer cells are cultured on collagen gels embedded with primary cultures of CAFs.

Here we present a protocol to co-culture in three-dimensions, which is useful for investigating multicellular interactions and extracellular matrix-dependent modulation of cancer cell behavior. In this experimental model, cancer cells are cultured on collagen gels embedded with human cancer-associated fibroblasts.

Cancer progression (initiation, growth, invasion and metastasis) occurs through interactions between malignant cells and the surrounding tumor stromal ...

Three-Dimensional (3D) Tumor Spheroid Invasion Assay

Invasion of surrounding normal tissues is generally considered to be a key hallmark of malignant (as opposed to benign) tumors. For some cancers in particular (e.g., brain tumors such as glioblastoma multiforme and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck &#8211; SCCHN) it is a cause of severe morbidity and can be life-threatening even in the absence of distant metastases. In addition, cancers which have relapsed following treatment unfortunately often present with a more aggressive phenotype. Therefore, there is an opportunity to target the process of invasion to provide novel therapies that could be complementary to standard anti-proliferative agents. Until now, this strategy has been hampered by the lack of robust, reproducible assays suitable for a detailed analysis of invasion and for drug screening. Here we provide a simple micro-plate method (based on uniform, self-assembling 3D tumor spheroids) which has great potential for such studies. We exemplify the assay platform using a human glioblastoma cell line and also an SCCHN model where the development of resistance against targeted epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors is associated with enhanced matrix-invasive potential. We also provide two alternative methods of semi-automated quantification: one using an imaging cytometer and a second which simply requires standard microscopy and image capture with digital image analysis.

Three-Dimensional 3D Tumor Spheroid Invasion Assay

Invasion of surrounding normal tissues is a defining characteristic of malignant tumors. We provide here a simple, semi-automated micro-plate assay of invasion into a natural 3D biomatrix that has been exemplified with a number of models of advanced human cancers.

Invasion of surrounding normal tissues is generally considered to be a key hallmark of malignant (as opposed to benign) tumors. For some cancers in ...

Quantitative Visualization of Leukocyte Infiltrate in a Murine Model of Fulminant Myocarditis by Light Sheet Microscopy

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM), in combination with chemical clearing protocols, has become the gold standard for analyzing fluorescently labelled structures in large biological specimens, and is down to cellular resolution. Meanwhile, the constant refinement of underlying protocols and the enhanced availability of specialized commercial systems enable us to investigate the microstructure of whole mouse organs and even allow for the characterization of cellular behavior in various live-cell imaging approaches. Here, we describe a protocol for the spatial whole-mount visualization and quantification of the CD45+ leukocyte population in inflamed mouse hearts. The method employs a transgenic mouse strain (CD11c.DTR)that has recently been shown to serve as a robust, inducible model for the study of the development of fulminant fatal myocarditis, characterized by lethal cardiac arrhythmias. This protocol includes myocarditis induction, intravital antibody-mediated cell staining, organ preparation, and LSFM with subsequent computer-assisted image post-processing. Although presented as a highly-adapted method for our particular scientific question, the protocol represents the blueprint of an easily adjustable system that can also target completely different fluorescent structures in other organs and even in other species.

Here, we describe a light-sheet microscopy approach to visualize the cardiac CD45+ leukocyte infiltrate in a murine model of aseptic fulminant myocarditis, which is induced by the intratracheal diphtheria toxin treatment of CD11c.DTR mice.

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM), in combination with chemical clearing protocols, has become the gold standard for analyzing fluorescently ...

Electrophysiological Assessment of Murine Atria with High-Resolution Optical Mapping

Recent genome-wide association studies targeting atrial fibrillation (AF) have indicated a strong association between the genotype and electrophysiological phenotype in the atria. That encourages us to utilize a genetically-engineered mouse model to elucidate the mechanism of AF. However, it is difficult to evaluate the electrophysiological properties in murine atria due to their small size. This protocol describes the electrophysiological evaluation of atria using an optical mapping system with a high temporal and spatial resolution in Langendorff perfused murine hearts. The optical mapping system is assembled with dual high-speed complementary metal oxide semiconductor cameras and high magnification objective lenses, to detect the fluorescence of a voltage-sensitive dye and Ca2+ indicator. To focus on the assessment of murine atria, optical mapping is performed with an area of 2 mm &#215; 2 mm or 10 mm x 10 mm, with a 100 &#215; 100 resolution (20 &#181;m/pixel or 100 &#181;m/pixel) and sampling rate of up to 10 kHz (0.1 ms) at maximum. A 1-French size quadripolar electrode pacing catheter is placed into the right atrium through the superior vena cava avoiding any mechanical damage to the atrium, and pacing stimulation is delivered through the catheter. An electrophysiological study is performed with programmed stimulation including constant pacing, burst pacing, and up to triple extrastimuli pacing. Under a spontaneous or pacing rhythm, the optical mapping recorded the action potential duration, activation map, conduction velocity, and Ca2+ transient individually in the right and left atria. In addition, the programmed stimulation also determines the inducibility of atrial tachyarrhythmias. Precise activation mapping is performed to identify the propagation of the excitation in the atrium during an induced atrial tachyarrhythmia. Optical mapping with a specialized setting enables a thorough electrophysiological evaluation of the atrium in murine pathological models.

This protocol describes the electrophysiological evaluation of murine atria utilizing an optical mapping system with a high temporal and spatial resolution, including dual recordings of the membrane voltage and Ca2+ transient under programmed stimulation through a specialized electrode catheter.

Recent genome-wide association studies targeting atrial fibrillation (AF) have indicated a strong association between the genotype and ...

Assessing Therapeutic Angiogenesis in a Murine Model of Hindlimb Ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a serious condition that entails a high risk of lower limb amputation. Despite revascularization being the gold-standard therapy, a considerable number of CLI patients are not suited for either surgical or endovascular revascularization. Angiogenic therapies are emerging as an option for these patients but are currently still under investigation. Before application in humans, those therapies must be tested in animal models and its mechanisms must be clearly understood. An animal model of hindlimb ischemia (HLI) has been developed by the ligation and excision of the distal external iliac and femoral arteries and veins in mice. A comprehensive panel of tests was assembled to assess the effects of ischemia and putative angiogenic therapies at functional, histologic and molecular levels. Laser Doppler was used for the flow measurement and functional assessment of perfusion. Tissue response was evaluated by the analysis of capillary density after staining with the anti-CD31 antibody on histological sections of gastrocnemius muscle and by measurement of collateral vessel density after diaphonization. Expression of angiogenic genes was quantified by RT-PCR targeting selected angiogenic factors exclusively in endothelial cells (ECs) after laser capture microdissection from mice gastrocnemius muscles. These methods were sensitive in identifying differences between ischemic and non-ischemic limbs and between treated and non-treated limbs. This protocol provides a reproducible model of CLI and a framework for testing angiogenic therapies.

Here, a critical hindlimb ischemia experimental model is presented followed by a battery of functional, histologic and molecular tests&#160;to assess the effectiveness of angiogenic therapies.&#8203;

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a serious condition that entails a high risk of lower limb amputation. Despite revascularization being the gold-standard ...