To evaluate the role of PERK in VSMCs in AAA development, we generated mice with a VSMC-specific deletion of PERK (gene symbol Eif2ak3) by crossbreeding Perk-floxed mice (Eif2ak3fl/fl) with Myh11-CreERT2 mice; this was followed by tamoxifen induction to create a Eif2ak3 KO (Eif2ak3SMKO). The gene discussed is EIF2AK3; the disease is triple-A syndrome.