Protocol to interrogate the role of creeping fat and mechanical tension in Crohn's disease using a surgical mouse model of intestinal fibrosis.

Here, we present a protocol to interrogate the role of creeping fat (CF) and mechanical tension in Crohn's disease (CD) using a surgical mouse model of intestinal fibrosis. We describe steps for preoperative preparation, microsurgical techniques for stricture formation and mechanical stretching, and model variations such as mesenteric grafts. We then detail procedures for postoperative harvest, tissue embedding, and sectioning procedures. This model induces localized CF formation and transmural fibrosis, features distinct from those observed in chemical colitis models. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Bauer-Rowe et al.1.