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CLINICAL RESEARCH

Histopathological and ultrastructural study of carotid atherosclerotic plaques: a study of four cases

Ru Yong-xina State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, ChinaCorrespondence[email protected]

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Zhang Xue-binb Department of Pathology, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China

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Dong Shu-xua State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China

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Zhang Yongqiangc Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China

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Li Yingc Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China

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Liu Jinga State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China

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Gao Ying-daia State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China

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Shang Hong-Caid Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education, Beijing Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Peking, China

&

Brian Eydene Formerly: Department of Histopathology, Christie Hospital Nhs Trust, Manchester, UK

ABSTRACT

To clarify the characteristics and origin of the cellular components in atherosclerosis, carotid atherosclerotic plaques (CAPs) of four patients were studied by light microscopy using hematoxylin-eosin, Congo red and alpha-smooth-muscle actin stains, and by transmission electron microscopy of different regions of CAPs. By light microscopy, CAPs were composed of 1) a fibrous cap; 2) an atherosclerotic core presenting focal fibrosis, neovascularization, hemorrhage, necrosis, chondrification and ossification; and 3) a basal band composed of a hyperplasic pseudo-media and affected tunica media. Ultrastructurally, the CAPs contained a diversity of cells including fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, osteochondrocytes, vascular smooth-muscle cells, foam cells and other myoid cells characterized by varied features of the above mentioned cells. The results indicated that CAPs were derived from a proliferation of multipotential mesenchymal stem cells, leading to the presence of degenerated foam cells and lipid-laden cells.

KEYWORDS:

Disclosures

The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest.

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