Histological evaluation of the aortic vessel and PVAT

Following fixing, samples were processed in the Shandon tissue processor before paraffin wax blocks were formed. Sections, 8 μm in thickness, were cut using a microtome and placed onto Superfrost+ slides and kept at 70°C overnight. Each section was rehydrated, stained using hematoxylin (1 min) and eosin (30 sec), before being dehydrated and mounted using DPX. Images at ×10 magnification were acquired using a Leica microscope and camera and were analyzed using Image J and Carestream software.