FIGURE 1.

Pathological vascular remodeling. Arterial remodeling in peripheral arteries and thoracic and abdominal aortas present some phenotypic particularities compared with vascular lesions in other vascular beds. Lower limb lesions are most frequently stable with low macrophage content, and a prevalence of vascular SMCs, resulting in plaques rich in collagen and elastic fibers, mostly calcified, with a non-significant lipid core. AAAs are characterized by the presence of an Intra Luminal Thrombus (ILT), rich in red blood cells (RBCs), neutrophils and platelets, and an aortic wall with low number of vascular SMCs in the remaining media, along with immune cell infiltrates, fibroblasts and neovessels in the adventitia. TAA display extensive remodeling of the ECM, vascular SMCs dysfunction and calcification, but ILT is not present. Figure created using Servier Medical Art images (https://smart.servier.com).