SMC phenotype between WT and mgR mice.

<p>a) Aortic SMC contractile marker mRNA expression levels in WT and mgR mice at PD7. Right panel shows relative mRNA levels quantified using 8 aortic samples in each group; b) Aortic SMC contractile protein levels in WT and mgR mouse aortas at PD7 and PD28 analyzed by Western blot. GAPDH served as internal loading control; c) Top panel, Immunofluorescence images are representative staining of calponin in aortic tissue from WT and mgR at PD7; Bottom panel, representative images of immunohistochemical staining for α-actin in aortic tissue from WT and mgR at PD7. Right panel, bar graph depicts the quantification of calponin and α-actin staining. *p<0.05. d) Aortic SMC tropoelastin expression in WT and mgR mouse aortas at PD7 analyzed by Western blot. Western blots represent 3–5 separate experiments. Protein levels were quantified and shown in bar graphs (b & d right panels). β-actin served as internal loading control. Data are represented as mean ±standard error of mean. Significance denoted as *p<0.05.