Induction of cerebral arteriogenesis in mice

Unilateral common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO) is a standardized method to initiate collateral artery growth (arteriogenesis) in mouse brain. After CCAO is induced, blood circulation in the circle of Willis is changed and increases shear stress, which triggers increased arterial diameter and improvements in cerebrovascular reserve capacity. Functional improvement can be quantified after experimentally induced stroke by external middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Stroke volume is evaluated by standard tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Here, we describe in vivo methods of CCAO and MCAO in detail and also the evaluation of stroke volume by TTC staining.