[Quantitative historadioautographic analysis of the cellular proliferation characteristics of the aortic wall in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis].

Aortic intima cell proliferation has been studied in 49 rabbits with progressing experimental hypercholesterolemia, using 3H-thymidine. It has been shown that focal cell proliferation is related to infiltration sites of apo-B lipoproteins and can be observed already at pre-lipid stage of atherogenesis. 4 types of proliferating cells involved in the formation of lipid plaques have been identified: endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts and macrophages, with the latter predominating in the atherosclerotic plaque cover.