A mouse model of intracranial aneurysm: technical considerations.

Intracranial aneurysms can be induced by a single stereotaxic injection of elastase into the cerebrospinal fluid at the right basal cistern in hypertensive mice. This mouse model produces large aneurysm formations with an incidence of 60-80% within 3-4 weeks. Intracranial aneurysms in this model recapitulate key pathological features of human intracranial aneurysms. Several technical factors are critical for the successful induction of intracranial aneurysms in this model. Precise stereotaxic placement of the needle tip into the cerebrospinal fluid space is especially important. Aneurysm formations in this model can serve as a simple and easily interpretable outcome for future studies that utilize various inhibitors, knockout mice, or transgenic mice to test roles of specific molecules and pathways in the pathophysiology of intracranial aneurysms.