Figure 1.

Iron deposits are frequently detected in early-stage atheroma lesions. Macroscopic pictures of a healthy aorta (smooth luminal interface), a fatty streak with subendothelial yellow deposits (black arrowheads) and a fibroatheroma with yellow deposits covered with a white capsule, forming initial plaques (black arrowheads). Visualization of foam cells was accomplished by Masson’s trichrome staining, and redox-active iron was visualized by Perls reaction followed by DiAminoBenzidin (DAB) polymerization (see materials and methods). Perls staining alone and DAB alone were strictly negative (not shown).