Atherosclerosis Disease Progression

Atherosclerosis is a complex multi-stage disease of the vasculature and begins with damage to the endothelial vessel lining. Vascular endothelial cells respond to the damage by upregulating lumenal adhesion proteins, inflammatory mediators, and oxidative enzymes. Immune cells adhere to the activated endothelium and extravasate to the intima where they expand the inflammatory response. Lipoprotein particles are targeted by oxidative enzymes to generate pathogenic oxidized LDL. Macrophages within the intimal layer then phagocytose and accumulate oxLDL, which promotes their development into foam cells. Foam cells accumulate and give rise to fatty streaks within the vessel wall.

For an interactive phenotyping and marker guide to these cells, please see our Atherosclerosis Disease Progression Cell Markers resource.