Fig. 1.

Schematic representation of the major rat head and neck arteries (view from the top) and the appropriate filament position during MCAO. The filament is inserted into ICA through the stump of ECA and pushed forward to occlude the origin of MCA, VTA, and AchA with its silicon-coated tip (blue). OA and ST are electrocoagulated, while PPA, the proximal part of ECA, and the ECA stump ligated. A microsurgical clip is placed on CCA. ACA anterior cerebral artery, AchA anterior choroidal artery, BA basilar artery, CCA common carotid artery, ComACA common (azygos) anterior cerebral artery, ECA external carotid artery, HTA hypothalamic artery, ICA internal carotid artery, MCA middle cerebral artery, OA occipital artery, OlfA olfactory artery, OphA ophthalmic artery, PCA posterior cerebral artery, PcomA posterior communicative artery, PPA pterygopalatine artery, SCA superior cerebellar artery, STA superior thyroid artery, VTA ventral thalamic artery