Figure 10.

Atherosclerotic plaques of Atg7^F/FTagln-Cre⁺,apoe^−/− mice show several features of VSMC senescence. (A) Sections of the aortic root were stained for senescence-associated (black arrowheads) and compared with serial TAGLN staining (not shown) to locate the fibrous caps. Scale bar: 10 µm. (B) Consecutive sections of the aortic root were double stained for phospho RB (red; white arrowheads) and ACTA2 (green). Scale bar: 25 µm (C) Sections of the brachiocephalic artery were double stained with phospho RB and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) to quantify phospho RB-positive VSMC nuclei in the media (**, P < 0.01; Mann Whitney test). Scale bar: 50 µm.