Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 14, 2025
High-throughput Nitrobenzoxadiazole-labeled Cholesterol Efflux Assay
Published on: January 7, 2019
Novel Methods for Detecting Human Cholesterol Crystals from Sampled Blood
Nobuzo Iwa1, Chikao Yutani1, Sei Komatsu2
1Division of Pathology, Cardiovascular Center, Osaka Gyoumeikan Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
Objective:
Nonobstructive general angiography (NOGA) is a novel modality to detect and sample spontaneous ruptured aortic plaques (SRAPs). We aimed to establish novel methods to detect cholesterol crystals (CCs) in sampled SRAPs.
Methods:
Blood specimens containing SRAPs were obtained from patients using NOGA. Blood was instantly frozen on a glass slide and subsequently thawed for quantitative analysis and spread onto a filter paper that was rinsed using distilled water. Qualitative analysis was performed for the rinsed water using polarized light microscopy, and the filter paper was embedded in paraffin for histologic analysis.
Results:
The CCs were clearly observed after hemolysis using the instant freeze-thaw method. The filter paper rinse method indicated free CCs of varying shapes under polarized light microscopy without erythrocytes. On the filter paper, sampled SRAPs showed Lamé-like small particles. Histopathology revealed various atheromatous components.
Conclusion:
A set of novel methods for detecting CCs from sampled blood was established.
