Leukocyte Trafficking in Cardiovascular Disease: Insights from Experimental Models

Figure 1

The formation of atherosclerotic plaques is characterised by the recruitment of monocytes to the artery wall directed by chemokines, followed by adherence and transmigration across the endothelium. The accumulation of lipid deposits containing oxLDL in the intima is then taken up by plaque macrophages to form foam cells resulting in fatty streak lesion formation.