In our different animal models, we have the capacity to evaluate renal function by measuring arterial pressure with the non-invasive tail-cuff system, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and albuminuria (ELISA).

The structure and the integrity of the podocytes can be analyzed with transmission and scanning electronic microscopy in addition to histopathological analyses of the tubules and glomeruli.

Using the lower limb ischemia model, blood flow measurement can be performed with the laser Doppler PIMIII (Perimed).In addition, our laboratory can perform limb motricity using voluntary running wheels.

Following several weeks of monitoring, histological and immunofluorescence analyses of the muscle are performed for capillary density.

Using pro-atherogenic mouse models (apoE and LDLr deficient mice), our laboratory is investigating the interactions of circulating cells (monocytes) with the endothelium that occur during the development and progression of the atherosclerotic plaque in diabetes. Moreover, our laboratory can perform bone marrow transplant to evaluate monocyte contribution to atherosclerotic plaque formation.

We have a variety of conditional Cre-Lox models to target specific genes that are involved in podocyte, endothelial and smooth muscle cells.

We have recently generated a transgenic mouse using the FLEX-Cre-Lox technology.

With the financial support of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), we have the capacity to visualize in real-time the structure, the morphology and cell-to-cell interactions caused by diabetes.