Smooth muscle cells of intimal cushions and the localization of atherosclerotic lesions.

Atherosclerosis results from a precise sequence of endothelial interaction with platelets or thrombocytes and mononuclear cells, uptake of specific lipoproteins, cholesteryl ester removal, production of collagen, elastin ad proteoglycans by activated smooth muscle cells. Thus, both the filtration hypothesis and the thrombogenic hypothesis for the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis appear to be correct.