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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Biomed Eng. 2013 Jul 11;42(2):415–431. doi: 10.1007/s10439-013-0855-x

Figure 1.

Figure 1

The tissue over the lipid pools is rich in SMCs and proteoglycans, some scattered macrophages, and lymphocytes may also be present. The more definitive lesions, of fibrous cap atheroma, classically shows a true necrotic core (NC) containing cholesterol esters, free cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglycerides. The fibrous cap consists of SMCs in a proteoglycan–collagen matrix, with a variable number of macrophages and lymphocytes. The thin-cap fibroatheroma (vulnerable plaque): thin-cap fibroathomas are lesions with large necrotic cores containing numerous cholesterol clefts. The overlying fibrous cap (FC) is thin (< 65 μm) and heavily infiltrated by macrophages; SMCs are rare and microvessels are generally present in the adventitia. (Reproduced with permission from Virmani R, et al., Arteriosclero Thromb Vasc Biol 2000;20:1262 75.3).