Decreased Regulatory T Cells in Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Lesions: Imbalance between Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cells in Atherosclerosis

Figure 1

Trichrome staining of atherosclerotic plaques enabling histological classification in stable or unstable lesions. Trichrome staining (20x) of a control vessel, a stable plaque with mainly fibrous tissue and a thick fibrous cap, and an unstable plaque with a large lipid core and/or a thin fibrous cap. Scheme of an atherosclerotic plaque demonstrating the different plaque regions is also shown: lipid core (LC), plaque shoulders (PS), fibrous cap (FC), media (M), and contralateral wall (CW).