Foam cells implications

Evidence implicating CX3CR1 and fractalkine in atherosclerosis is growing. Immunohistochemical analysis of human atherosclerotic lesions demonstrate that macrophages in the intima as well as smooth muscle cells, mononuclear cells, and foam cells in the deep intima and media express CX3CL1, whereas normal arteries do not (57,58). 

Acyl-CoA cholesterol acyl transferase (ACAT) catalyzes the intracellular formation of cholesteryl esters (CE) in all mammalian cells. It has been implicated as a key enzyme involved in cholesterol absorption, very low density lipoprotein secretion, and the formation of lipid-laden macrophages. The accumulation of CE in macrophage-derived foam cells is characteristic of the early step in the development of atherosclerosis. ACAT inhibitors reduced TC levels without affecting HDL-C. This can be attributed to decreased intestinal cholesterol absorption based on binding to bile acid (Turley SD. and Herndon MW. 1994)... 

The pattern of horizontal fringes observed on the face of the films suggested a vertical wedge shape, with the film thickness increasing as one descends the film. The wedge shape of the vertical PU films has a number of implications for operational PU foam. Any cell window in PU foam does not have uniform thickness. This non-uniformity has been reported in at least two studies [24-26, 32]. In addition, it would be expected that the rupture of the cell window would occur at its thinnest point [24-26, 32]. 

---