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Updated: Jul 28, 2026

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death
09:18

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Published on: December 27, 2016

The significance of programmed cell death or apoptosis and matrix vesicles in atherogenesis

W E Stehbens1

  • 1Department of Pathology, Wellington School of Medicine, Wellington South, New Zealand. wstehbens@wnmeds.ac.nz

Cellular and Molecular Biology (Noisy-Le-Grand, France)
|March 22, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is a genetically controlled process of cell deletion. In arteries, apoptosis correlates with atherosclerosis severity, involving vascular smooth muscle cell disintegration and debris accumulation.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is a genetically controlled process of cell deletion, complementing cell replication.
  • Apoptosis is a self-regulatory mechanism initiated in cells with irreparable DNA damage.
  • Apoptosis is identified in arteries and correlates with atherosclerosis localization and severity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
  • To understand the mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle cell death in atherosclerosis.
  • To evaluate the significance of vesicular debris in atherosclerotic lesions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of apoptosis in arterial tissues.
  • Examination of vascular smooth muscle cell morphology and disintegration.
  • Assessment of vesicular debris accumulation and composition.

Main Results:

  • Granulovesicular disintegration of vascular smooth muscle cells produces abundant vesicular debris in the intima.
  • Vesicular debris increases with age and hypertension, contributing to atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
  • Vascular cells under biomechanical stress exhibit degeneration, DNA fragmentation, and oxidative damage, leading to apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptosis is a feature of vascular cell degeneration in atherosclerosis, associated with vesicular debris accumulation.
  • The role of apoptosis in disease pathogenesis requires further investigation, considering changes in the entire vessel wall.
  • Current generalizations about the therapeutic or pathogenetic roles of apoptosis in disease are speculative.

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