[Modulation and proliferation of the vessel wall muscle cell and its importance for atherogenesis]

Decisive for the progression of the arteriosclerosis is the increase of thickness of the intima, as it is shown by histological and morphometrical investigations on the human coronary arteries. A light-optic and electron-optic analysis of animal-experimental, induced and spontaneous proliferations of the intima has the result that the process of progression is maintained by structural and functional variants (modulations) of the myointimal cells. Under the influence of specific and unspecific stimulators they are able to proliferation and migration, abnormal fibre synthesis and lipid storage as well as to phagocytosis and formation of boundary surfaces. Most of the modulations described of the activated muscle cell are temporary adaptations to a changed micromilieu and they are reversible to contractile cells after decrease of the stimulation effect. Therefore it is assumed that in the early stages of the arteriosclerosis a progression phase is to be diagnosed light- and electron-optically essentially at the appearance of proliferation-active and synthesis-active modulations of the smooth muscle cell. An inactive, non-progressive thickening of the intima may be diagnosed by the proof of contractile muscle cells.