The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is hypothesized to occur as a response to various forms of injury to the lining arterial endothelial cells. The resulting endothelial alterations could potentially lead to interactions between platelets in the circulation and the underlying subendothelial connective tissue or with the altered endothelial cells themselves. Such interactions provide an opportunity for platelet degranulation and release of a platelet-derived growth factor. This factor has been shown in cell culture to be an extremely potent mitogen and will induce DNA synthesis and cell multiplication of a number of cells including smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and other mesenchymally derived cells. Chronic endothelial injury and repeated interactions between platelet-derived mitogens, plasma components, and the underlying arterial smooth muslce cells would promote the progression of the intimal proliferative lesions of atherosclerosis that lead to the clinical sequelae associated with this disease process.