The participation of inflammatory cells in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a slow progressive disease that is increasingly recognized to be a chronic inflammatory disease. Immune cells of various types are found directly in the atherosclerotic plaques at different stages of the disease. Most notable is the presence of macrophages and T lymphocytes, particularly in the beginning to intermediate stages of atherosclerotic development. Numerous investigators have shown that the participation of macrophages and T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is important. However, partly due to the complex web of secreted mediators such as cytokines and growth factors that affects all aspects of the immunobiology of these cells and their surrounding cells, the exact roles that these cells play are still incompletely understood. Even less understood are the roles, if any, of other immune cells such as natural killer cells, neutrophils and mast cells, although information regarding these cells in atherosclerosis is rapidly emerging. (c) 2001 Prous Science. All rights reserved.