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Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Measuring the Stiffness of Ex Vivo Mouse Aortas Using Atomic Force Microscopy
Published on: October 19, 2016
Molecular Mechanisms of Arterial Stiffening
Marina Cecelja1, Phil Chowienczyk1
1King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
Abstract:
Stiffening of large arteries is a hallmark of vascular aging and one of the most important determinants of the age-related increase in blood pressure and cardiovascular disease events. Despite a substantial genetic component, the molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic variability in arterial stiffness remain unknown. Previous genetic studies have identified several genetic variants that are associated with measures of arterial stiffness. Here, we review the relevant advances in the identification of pathways underlying arterial stiffness from genomic studies.
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