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(Circulation. 2008;117:3168-3170.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Editorial

Diversity of Denizens of the Atherosclerotic Plaque

Not All Monocytes Are Created Equal

Peter Libby, MD; Matthias Nahrendorf, MD, PhD; Mikael J. Pittet, PhD; Filip K. Swirski, PhD

From the Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass (P.L., F.K.S.); Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass (M.N., M.J.P.); and Center for Molecular Imaging Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Mass (M.N., M.J.P., F.K.S.).

Correspondence to Peter Libby, MD, 77 Ave Louis Pasteur, NRB7, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail: plibby@rics.bwh.harvard.edu

Key Words: Editorials • endothelium • atherosclerosis • plaque

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

The atherosclerotic plaque typically harbors cells of several lineages whose conversations, mediated by extracellular or cell surface–associated messengers, influence decisively the biology and clinical consequences of the lesion. Early vascular biology studies defined the resting state of the endothelium, characterized by the elaboration of antithrombotic and vasodilatory mediators. The activated endothelium recruits inflammatory leukocytes, favors clot accumulation, participates in angiogenesis, and can influence the behavior of subjacent smooth muscle cells in ways that favor atherogenesis and vasoconstriction (Figure). More recently, we have come to appreciate that the endothelial cell not only can exhibit a spectrum of functions, but that some may arise postnatally from bone marrow–derived precursors.¹ Thus, the heterogeneity of endothelial cells depends not only on the mutability of their function but also on their origin. The diversity of endothelium depends not only on lineage but also location, with increasingly well-understood differences between arterial, microvascular, and venous endothelial cells.

View larger version (32K):   Figure. Heterogeneity of major cell types in atherosclerotic plaques. Vascular biologists have long recognized heterogeneity of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, now understood to result from local mediator milieu, biomechanical stimuli, and different embryological origins. Indeed, recent data suggest that both of these intrinsic vascular cell types can arise in postnatal life from bone marrow–derived precursors. Immunological dogma recognizes several T-cell populations, exemplified here by the Th1 and Th2 subsets, which on the balance exert opposing influences on atherogenesis. New data now establish the relevance to atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia of monocyte heterogeneity. Monocytes that bear high levels . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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