Figure 2.
Impact of sex and aging on passive properties in the carotid artery. Main effects of sex and the interaction with pressure from two-way ANOVA are listed in the legend and results of Sidak’s multiple comparison tests are indicated on each graph. n = 7–9 mice/group. A and B: distensibility was greater in female mice in adulthood (A), Pint = 0.0007, Psex = 0.04, as well as in middle age (B). Pint = 0.0006, Psex = 0.02. C and D: wall thickness was not impacted by sex in either adulthood (C) or middle age (D). P > 0.05. E and F: stress-strain curves showed increased stiffness in male adult mice (E), but this sex effect was lost during aging (F). G: unloaded wall thickness increased with aging in males but not females. Pint = 0.07, Page = 0.004, Psex = 0.27. H: unloaded lumen diameter was decreased in males but not females with aging. Pint = 0.57, Page = 0.003, Psex = 0.21.