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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Oct 1.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Opin Lipidol. 2020 Oct;31(5):279–285. doi: 10.1097/MOL.0000000000000701

Figure 2. Caveolae-mediated LDL transcytosis in endothelial cells (ECs) of aortic athero-prone regions.

Figure 2.

Atherosclerosis occurs preferentially at the athero-prone regions (low curvature) of disturbed flow with low shear stress, whereas laminar flow with high shear stress protects against atherosclerosis. Disturbed flow promotes higher expression of Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in the athero-prone regions of aortic arch, which induces more caveolae formation compared to ECs of athero-protected regions where laminar flow conditions exist. In the ECs of athero-prone regions, caveolae colocalized with LDL redistribute from apical to intracellular compartment facilitating LDL transcytosis to induce LDL deposition and progression of atherosclerosis.