APOE and Hypercholesterolemia: Also, the possibility of using genetically modified mice such as the apoE-/- mouse(46) and the LDLr-/- mouse(47) are relevant models of hypercholesterolaemia since LDL removal is inhibited and thus the cholesterol metabolism is disturbed and share similarities with spontaneous atherosclerosis(46) and familial hypercholesterolaemia(47) seen in humans.