Cover Picture

This cover image is based on the article “Age and gender effects on echocardiographic and histopathological cardiac phenotypes in healthy adult mice” (https://doi.org/10.1002/ame2.70183) reported by Shuang Wen, Xijia Shao, Xiulin Zhang, Ningning Zhang, Xiao Chen, Guangxin Yue, and Jiangping Song. Two C57BL/6J mice–one male in blue scrubs, the other female in a pink apron–stand together, jointly examining a detailed anatomical heart model. The male mouse holds a high-frequency ultrasound probe, while the female mouse carefully studies a fresh histopathological slide. A prominent clock nearby displays “young” and “old,” symbolizing the progression of age. Scattered around them are syringes, scissors, and additional tissue sections, evoking the spectrum of echocardiographic and histopathological analyses used in the study. Through these tools, the influences of factors frequently overlooked in cardiovascular mouse models–age and sex–are now clearly revealed. In summary, the illustration conveys the core message of this study: that age and sex are critical determinants of cardiac remodeling in healthy adult mice. It underscores the importance of considering both age and sex when selecting mouse models for cardiovascular research, thereby enhancing reproducibility.