Cardiovascular diseases and aging: infiltration, then inflammation

In our bodies, when something is not right, the immune system is most often used. This is exactly what the cells of the infiltrated endothelium do. They then attract a particular type of immune cell: monocytes[6]. Once at the infiltration site, the environment pushes the monocytes to transform into “cleaning” cells: macrophages[7]. These cells then begin to digest the LPs to convert them back into cholesterol, so that they can be evacuated and the fat plaque destroyed[8].

The inflammation also recruits cells from inside the aorta, the fibroblasts, which then try to heal the lesion[9]. This prevents the platelets in our blood from coming into contact with the injured area, which could cause clots to form. Thus, most of the atheromas that form in our arteries are either destroyed or contained. They therefore do not lead to any complications afterwards. However, sometimes not everything goes as planned.