Common stroke models include ischemic models like middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), which can be permanent or transient, and models of hemorrhagic or thromboembolic stroke.
The use of appropriate and rationally designed animal models is necessary to correctly predict the relevance of experimental treatments in humans. At Ace Therapeutics, we are committed to developing customized animal models of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke to enhance the translational capabilities of your drug discovery and development programs.
There are many animal models available to study the various physiological and pathological changes that occur in stroke and also to evaluate the therapeutic effects of various pharmacological interventions. Stroke being a heterogeneous disease with complex pathophysiology, it is not possible to simulate all aspects of human stroke in one animal model. Each model has unique strengths and weaknesses, so they can be selected for specific studies. Mice and rats are the most commonly used experimental animals, but a variety of other animals such as rabbits, gerbils, cats, dogs, pigs, and monkeys have been used for a thorough understanding of disease pathology and treatment.
Fig. 1. Translational step-wise experimental design for stroke neurotherapeutics. (Tajiri et al., 2013)
Ace Therapeutics builds stable and proven animal modeling methods of stroke. Our experts have extensive experience in developing stroke animal models and rigorously validating each model. Our stroke models provide a more comprehensive approach to the disease for your preclinical studies.
At Ace Therapeutics, we use animals to help clients with their stroke drug discovery and development programs through contract research services. We ensure that the best-matched stroke animal model is selected for your project. In addition, we offer a range of outcome measures and functional assessment tests to analyze cognitive and behavioral responses after stroke in animal models.
We provide global cerebral ischemic stroke and focal cerebral ischemic stroke models to meet customer needs. We offer a variety of methods to construct ischemic stroke models, such as endovascular filament, transcranial electrocoagulation, photothrombosis, endothelin-1 occlusion, embolic occlusion. Our model animals are under the strict control of professional scientists to ensure the scientific validity and rigor of the research.
With stable and reliable technology and professional scientists, we establish autologous blood injection models and bacterial collagenase injection hemorrhagic stroke models to facilitate hemorrhagic stroke research. Through our model portfolio, active partnerships, and customized services, we eliminate the common challenges of acquiring hemorrhagic stroke models.
With multiple validated animal models, choosing Ace Therapeutics as your preclinical stroke CRO will ensure your research is as close as possible. Need more? Contact us about custom model development. We are constantly developing new models and would be happy to develop one for you to study.
What are the major types of stroke animal models?
Common stroke models include ischemic models like middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), which can be permanent or transient, and models of hemorrhagic or thromboembolic stroke.
What is MCAO and why is it important?
The MCAO model blocks blood flow in a major brain artery, creating focal ischemia similar to many human strokes. It's widely used because it reliably produces reproducible infarcts for testing neuroprotective strategies.
What are the difference between permanent and transient MCAO models?
What endpoints can be included in a stroke animal model study?
We provide a comprehensive set of translational endpoints, including neurological scoring, behavioral testing, advanced gait analysis, multimodal imaging (MRI/PET/ultrasound), and ex vivo biomarker/pathology assessment to support efficacy and mechanism-of-action (MoA) evaluation.
What imaging methods do you use to evaluate infarct and edema?
We use diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) to detect early ischemic injury and evaluate cerebral perfusion changes, as well as quantify the extent of edema.
How do you assess blood–brain barrier (BBB) leakage in stroke models?
We assess BBB integrity using gadolinium-enhanced MRI, which can detect BBB leakage early and support evaluation of BBB-targeted therapies. In addition, BBB permeability can also be quantified using Evans Blue dye extravasation, fluorescent tracer leakage assays (e.g., FITC-dextran), and ex vivo molecular/histological readouts such as tight-junction protein analysis (e.g., claudin-5, occludin, ZO-1) and IgG/albumin extravasation in brain tissue.
Can you image cerebral blood vessels and vascular remodeling?
Yes. Functional ultrasound imaging enables direct visualization of blood vessels and quantification of vessel density and hemodynamic changes in vivo.
What ex vivo analyses are available to support MoA studies?
We offer ex vivo assessments including immunohistochemistry (IHC) and protein quantification, supporting evaluation of neuroinflammation, neuronal injury, gliosis, and other pathology-related biomarkers.
Ace Therapeutics is a global leading provider of stroke research services. We are committed to accelerating progress in stroke research and drug development.