[The liquid crystal state of the lipids and atherosclerosis (a cell-culture study)]

It was discovered experimentally that the contact of the human embryonal fibroblasts with the detritus of atheromatous plaques with liquid crystal's (mesogenic) lipids activated proliferation of these cells. The same results were obtained during the contact of fibroblasts with the mesogenic mixture of cholesterol esters. At the same time the contact of embryonal fibroblasts with the amorphous (nonmesogenic) mixture of cholesterol esters does not promote the proliferative activity. The data obtained show that liquid-crystal lipid extracellular inclusions of the arterial wall can activate proliferation of the surrounding cells and initiate the morphogenesis of atherosclerotic plaques.