With old age, everyone develops atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by the formation and growth of fatty plaques that narrow and weaken blood vessels. The more cholesterol present in an atherosclerotic plaque, the softer the plaque structure, and the greater the likelihood of fragmentation and rupture leading to a heart attack or stroke. Local excesses of cholesterol cause cell dysfunction, and in plaque this is particularly important in the macrophages that arrive to attempt to return excess cholesterol to the blood stream and otherwise repair the local damage. Instead of conducting rep…
Assessing the Biochemistry of Senescent Cells in Unstable Atherosclerotic Plaque
With old age, everyone develops atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by the formation and growth of fatty plaques that narrow and weaken blood vessels. The more cholesterol present in an atherosclerotic plaque, the softer the plaque structure, and the greater the likelihood of fragmentation and rupture leading to a heart attack or stroke. Local excesses of cholesterol cause cell dysfunction, and in plaque this is particularly important in the macrophages that arrive to attempt to return excess cholesterol to the blood stream and otherwise repair the local damage. Instead of conducting rep…