This core will provide all gross and microscopic pathology support for those projects utilizing animal models for atherosclerosis. Dr. Finegold's laboratory will study the vectors for gene transfer in the liver and muscle utilizing histochemical, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural methods. Dr. Montgomery's Comparative Pathology Laboratory will be responsible for morphologic evaluation of all cardiovascular tissue from mice and rabbits utilized in the various projects. Veterinary pathologists trained in the anatomy and pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease will be utilized for tissue collection and evaluation. Atherosclerotic plaques in the major arteries of rabbits will be stained and measured utilizing image analysis and morphometric analysis. Similar methods will be utilized in mice on a specific 300 micron region of the aortic sinus and ascending aorta. Once baseline morphologic parameters have been established in each of the animal models, gene therapy will be implemented and tissues from these animals compared to controls. Quantitative and qualitative differences in lesion development will be addressed. This core will support three of the four research projects utilizing animals.