*4.7. Histology*

Mice were perfused with 10 mL vasodilation buffer (100 μg adenosine, 1 μg sodium nitroprusside, 0.05% BSA in PBS, pH7.4) followed by 10 mL 4% PFA post mortem. Adductor muscles from ligated or sham-operated mice were harvested and placed in 15% sucrose in PBS for 4 h and overnight at 4 ◦C in 30% sucrose in PBS. Tissue was cryopreserved in Tissue-Tek O.C.T. (Sakura, Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands) and cut in 8 μm cryosections. Morphometric analyses were performed using a hematoxylin-eosin stain to evaluate the dimensions of collateral arteries.
