However, blood flow was reduced, and there was an increase in the number of CD31/α-SMA double-positive blood vessels in old Mdx mice, suggesting that aging affects blood vessel function in Mdx mice and that older Mdx mice can serve as an appropriate model for testing the effectiveness of vascular-based therapies aimed at restoring functional angiogenesis to alleviate DMD severity [39]. The gene discussed is ACTA1; the disease is Duchenne muscular dystrophy.