AFM Characterization of the Internal Mammary Artery as a Novel Target for Arterial Stiffening

Figure 1

The approach for localized nanomechanical mapping of the tunica media in human IMA. (a) The human internal mammary artery (IMA) was cryo-sectioned to 5 μm thickness tissue sections. Optical images captured with the microscope integrated with the AFM for the (b) dehydrated and (c) hydrated tissue sections. The IEL and EEL distinctly separate the tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica adventitia in the IMA. (d) Schematic diagram of AFM imaging and the IMA histology.