Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) results in erythrocyte deformation, contributing to vascular and bone complications. This study examined four-to-five-month-old SCD (n=6) and age-matched control (n=6) mice. Vascular function was assessed via wire myography (the descending aorta) and the isolated micro vessel technique (the femoral artery). For both vessels, endothelium-dependent and –independent vasodilation was determined to cumulative additions of acetylcholine (Ach, Log M) and DEA NONOate (DEA, Log M). The right femora were scanned via MicroCT (10µm) to determine trabecular bone microarchitecture (i.e., bone volume-to-total volume ratio, BV/TV [%], trabecular thickness [Tb.Th, µm], trabecular number [Tb.N, /mm], and trabecular separation [Tb.Sp, µm]). Cortical bone was assessed at the mid-shaft to determine cortical thickness (Ct.Th, µm) and ossified vessel volume (OsVV, µm) was determined in the marrow diaphysis. SCD mice exhibited lower body and spleen masses. Endotheliumdependent relaxation to ACh was significantly increased in SCD mice, while vasoconstriction responses were similar between groups. Trabecular BV/TV was reduced (5% vs. 12%, p

Disciplines

Cardiovascular Diseases | Cellular and Molecular Physiology | Exercise Science | Translational Medical Research

Publication Date

12-1-2024

Language

English

Faculty Mentor of Honors Project

Rhonda Prisby

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Available for download on Sunday, January 31, 2027

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